WELLINGTON: The filming for the sequel of James Cameron’s sci-fi blockbuster ‘Avatar’ has resumed in New Zealand after the country ended its coronavirus outbreak.
The film’s crew, including director Cameron and producer Jon Landau, were given special permission to fly to New Zealand two weeks ago, even though its borders are closed for international travellers to keep out the coronavirus.
Landau said New Zealand had much to gain as resuming production will bring hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars to the film industry.
“This one production alone is going to hire 400 New Zealanders to work on it,” Landau told a local media outlet outside a hotel in Wellington where he and his colleagues have been in quarantine since they arrived. “We’re going to spend, in the next five months alone, over $70 million here,” he said.
Filming was suspended in March, shortly before New Zealand enforced a strict coronavirus lockdown. Last week New Zealand lifted all restrictions except border controls after declaring it was free of the virus, becoming one of the first countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic normality.
Cameron, Landau and dozens of crew members working on the ‘Avatar’ sequel were allowed back on economic grounds, although many consider it was unfair as families are still separated and businesses are struggling without key staff.
The film is among a handful of productions resuming in New Zealand, which hopes to win more film business after its successful campaign against the coronavirus. However, Landau said the opportunities are immense.
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