Movies filmed in Australia reach record-breaking international film production spend

The past 12 months have been a blockbuster for Australia’s burgeoning film industry with international moviemakers shelling out $854 million Down Under.

Ricky Stanicky set visit (L-R) Peter Farrelly (Director), Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, The Hon Steve Dimopolous (Minister for Creative Industries), Caroline Pitcher (CEO VicScreen), Zac Efron and John Cena, Picture: Ben King

It’s been lights, camera and all the action for international filming productions in Australia.

During the last financial year, Ausfilm – which is responsible for attracting big budget film and TV productions to Australia – received more than $3 billion worth of inquiries from international filmmakers, translating to an $854 million spend from titles that started physical production in 22/23.

It’s a new record, driven by large-scale titles such as The Fall Guy, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Ricky Stanicky.

Add to that a further financial boost from Post, Digital & VFX Productions for work on titles that did not actually shoot in Australia such as The Marvels, Ted and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and it’s a golden age for screen locally.

Sam Neill and Annette Bening star in Apples Never Fall.

Trailer of Russell Crowe movie Sleeping Dogs which was filmed in Victoria.

AusFilm CEO Kate Marks said it clearly shows that Australia has capitalised on what could have just been a temporary boom thanks to the Covid pandemic.

“We did anticipate that to be the case, but it’s exciting to see that really defined in the data,” Ms Marks said.

“Australia has always been considered such a strong and attractive destination with so many of the elements that you need and we’ve been doing this for decades.

“We’re top of our game in terms of our talent, our crew – both on and off screen, and our infrastructure.

“Our facilities are really strong in post-production and visual effects. And that’s always all been there. But then you have to have the right incentives to really underlie all that.”

The last piece of the puzzle was the Federal Government committing to an increase to 30 per cent for the Location Offset in its 23/24 Budget.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was filmed in NSW starring Owen Teague, Kevin Durand

“It will provide certainty for international productions, support a stable pipeline of work for thousands of Australian screen workers and businesses, and trigger investment into new industry capacity and capabilities,” Ms Marks said.

“What’s the most important aspect, from my perspective, is we will see this consistent level of work. We’ve wanted to see these ongoing opportunities for Australian businesses and crew and cast to be able to work consistently.
“Now we do anticipate this will happen and the big game changer is the Government’s commitment.”

The long-term future looks secure with the world-leading filmmakers such as Oscar-winning legendary Hollywood director Ron Howard coming back for repeat business,

Howard’s survival thriller Eden is currently in production in Queensland. It’s his second project to be made on the Gold Coast since it was substituted for lush northern Thailand in Thirteen Lives. The cast is jam-packed with talent including international stars Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Ana De Arma, Daniel Bruhl and Jude Law, plus local talent such as Richard Roxburgh. The film, based on a real-life unsolved mystery in the Galapagos Islands, will shoot its primary footage in Australia, with a small crew headed to the Galapagos for additional footage.

La Brea Season 3 was filmed in Queensland starring Natalie Zea, Eoin Macken, Chike Okonko

Howard said he’s always been impressed with professionalism and creative spirit of the Australian film community.

“My experience with our Queensland crew on Thirteen Lives only confirmed that and more,” he said. “I’m thrilled with the opportunity to bring Eden to Queensland and continue the collaboration.”

Marks said it’s been so gratifying to see the increase in repeat business in recent years.

“We’ve been having conversations with certain studios for years and years, and they’ve been talking about their hopes and their plans for what they could do back-to-back in Australia if the policy settings are right,” she shared.

“Since we’ve been working on these settings, companies like Disney, Marvel and 20th Century, they’ve done repeat projects, and NBC Universal

“It sounds like a cliche – but the filmmakers and studios talk about just how positive their experiences are when they come here to work.”

Those positive experiences are a combination of Australia’s hardworking, and world-class crews, the locations, and support through all levels of government – from the Federal all the way down to local councils.

“Australia has just proven itself to be a good place to come and place yourself for long periods of time,” Ms Marks said.

“I mean if you look at the social media – whether it’s filmmakers or the actors who are down here, they clearly are enjoying their time.

“It’s publicity and press that we couldn’t afford to buy.”

Liam and Luke Hemsworth on the Gold Coast set of action thriller Land of Bad.

Ms Marks highlighted Sweeney, who just walked the red carpet in Sydney at the premiere of her rom-com Anyone But You. The 26-year-old American spent several months at the start of 2023 shooting that film, with co-star Top Gun: Maverick Glen Powell in the sparkling harbour city that shares her first name, and it’s very apparent she fell in love with the place while she was here.

Sweeny, who also produced the movie, told Marie Claire that the script was originally set in Europe, but she campaigned for Australia.

“I’ve never really seen a lot of movies that are actually based in Australia,” she said.

“It’s become a popular location to film movies but it’s often used to replicate another place.

“We got to film in Australia and show off Australia, which was really cool because there’s so many beautiful things about Sydney, especially where you have the Sydney Opera House, the harbour, the beaches.

Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell in a scene from the romantic comedy Anyone But You, shot in Sydney.

“We also got to embrace the culture. I hope people see our movie and all want to travel to Sydney.”

While Ms Marks couldn’t reveal any further 2024 productions – apart from Eden, and the recently announced Netflix drama Apple Cider Vinegar which stars Kaitlyn Dever, Alycia Debnam Carey, Aisha Dee and Tilda Cobham Hervey and is reportedly based on the Belle Gibson saga – she’s excited for the incredible projects already filmed to be seen by audiences.

“It’s been such a busy two years of production, we’ve got all these incredible projects hitting screens,” she said.

“There’s Furiosa as well, (George Miller’s upcoming post-apocalyptic action adventure film continuing the Mad Max saga and starring Chris Hemsworth, Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlize Theron) which is obviously Australian but will make a mark on the global industry.

“That’s exciting for us because then we can actually show the work and the work itself just does so much to promote our capability and our people.

“It’s going to be a big year and I think we will see some more productions ramp up in the new year. We’re feeling positive.”

Originally published as Movies filmed in Australia reach record-breaking international film production spend