The Australian government has approved the transfer of a $20 million shooting incentives package from Disney’s dead-in-the-water 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Queensland is now the favoured location for the film’s shoot.
The incentives package was originally promised by the last government to Disney, as a means of bringing David Fincher’s 20,000 Leagues to our shores.
It promised a one-off payment in addition to the standard 16.5 per cent tax rebate overseas productions receive for filming in Australia, bringing the total rebate to approximately 30 per cent.
The local industry has long lobbied for a 30 per cent rebate to be instituted as the norm, seeing as the rising Aussie dollar has caused Hollywood to largely abandon Australian film shoots.
But it’s not all smooth sailing from here. Pirates 5‘s budget is believed to be north of $200 million, and Disney was hoping for more than $20 million in rebates before embarking on Captain Jack’s latest mission. The studio is expected to shake the tin at individual state agencies to help close the gap.
Kon Tiki helmers Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg are still attached to direct the fifth Pirates movie, which will see Johnny Depp return as Captain Jack Sparrow.
