Liam Neeson and Guy Pearce are both set to film projects in Melbourne… just weeks after the city emerged from stage-four lockdown
Melbourne has emerged from stage-four lockdown as a Hollywood hotspot, with both Liam Neeson and Guy Pearce set to film separate projects in the city.
Liam will be filming his next blockbuster Blacklight in the city, while Guy, 53, will be shooting the final season of his TV series Jack Irish, according to the Herald Sun.
Production begins on Blacklight early next week, with Liam, 68, starring as Travis Block, a ‘troubled off-the-books fixer for the FBI, tasked with pulling undercover agents out of dangerous situations’.
Hollywood Down Under: After months in lockdown, Melbourne has emerged as a Hollywood hotspot, with both Liam Neeson (left) and Guy Pearce (right) set to film separate projects in the city
The action-packed thriller sees Travis entangled in a dangerous conspiracy, and is written, directed and produced by filmmaker Mark Williams, who co-created Ozark.
Meanwhile, Jack Irish follows a former criminal lawyer who makes it his mission to find people who would rather not be found.
The announcements come just weeks after Melbourne emerged from a months-long stage-four lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Back to work: Production is set to start on the thriller next week, with Liam starring as Travis Block, a ‘troubled off-the-books fixer for the FBI, tasked with pulling undercover agents out of dangerous situations’. Pictured in Honest Thief
Thrilling: Jack Irish follows a former criminal lawyer who makes it his mission to find people who would rather not be found. Pictured at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado in September 2019
The film and TV projects will no doubt give Melbourne’s economy a much-needed boost, after taking a serious hit during lockdown.
Blacklight, which has a budget of $43million and will be shot at the Melbourne Convention Centre, will provide more than 500 local jobs.
On Monday, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Liam was in hotel quarantine in Sydney after arriving from overseas.
In isolation: On Monday, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Liam was in hotel quarantine in Sydney after arriving from overseas. Pictured on Good Morning America in February 2019
He’s reportedly due to fly to Melbourne sometime over the weekend, with filming scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
‘Blacklight will bring momentum back to the Victorian screen industry, which has been so heavily impacted by COVID-19,’ Arts Minister Paul Fletcher said.
It’s one of several movies being filmed in Australia at the moment, with Zac Efron set to star in the Stan Original thriller Gold.
Coming soon: He’s reportedly due to fly to Melbourne sometime over the weekend, with filming scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Pictured at a photo call in Madrid in July 2019