April 04, 2005

Watchmen leaves UK?

Watchmen2.jpgThe Watchmen was promising loads, and it was looking like everything was going well, but then Paramount have a big change of heads and they're looking at cutting back the budget. We talked about that before, and it's a sad state of affairs, but then it looked like Paul Greengrass might still be able to hold on to what Watchmen is.

So I guess there's good and bad news in the past few days echoed by my fellow Brits at Empire. The production location is currently being looked at and they might move outside the UK.

On one hand this is great news, because of the high costs of filming in the UK it might just drop the budget enough that they could give Watchmen the crack it deserves in another country. On the other hand though it's another nail in the coffin of the UK Film Industry.

Thanks to the current Government who are squeezing the benefits out of the tax rebates for UK filming, studios are looking to anywhere but the UK to film their movies. V for Vendetta is located in London, and they are filming almost all if it in Berlin. Dog Soldiers was located in the Highlands of Scotland, and they filmed in Luxembourg with only the odd second unit sweeping shot taken of the hills. Even Braveheart was predominantly filmed in Ireland. Rob Roy was the last movie I can remember that filmed entirely in Scotland.

Bad news for us, and another sign that our greedy Government is pushing the industry over the edge of the coast and towards neighbouring countries.

Good news for the Watchmen. I think the move outside the UK could save the production a whole load of cash, and that might just appease the big heads before they are attracted to cutting from the movie production itself.


Posted by at April 4, 2005 12:49 PM


Comments

One word: Canada.

Posted by: Franklin at April 4, 2005 08:27 PM

The League of Gentlemen movie shot in Ireland for this same reason ... they've been pretty open about moving the production out of England to take advantage of Irish tax breaks ...

Posted by: Todd at April 4, 2005 08:46 PM

Doesn't matter. Turns out David Bowie's working on a rock opera version of Watchmen, so everything's going to be alright.

I'm sorry, I'll say that again. David Bowie's working on a rock opera version of Watchmen. (Scroll about 4/5 of the way down.)

I'm a little confused. Who died and made my subconscious mind the ruler of the world?

Posted by: tom at April 4, 2005 09:57 PM

Oh please tell me they're shooting the "Burns" (starring Gerard Butler) biopic in Scotland, I was even planning to go there and watch the production!

As for "The Watchmen" I will look on the bright side of it about costcuttings still, wouldnt it be great if it was indeed shot here all throughout? I first heard about this high cost of filmings in the UK when they interviewed Anthony Daniels (C3 P0)last year since the Star Wars films were filmed mainly in the UK, how would that effect the industry in itself. It didnt really paint a good picture.

Posted by: Simone at April 5, 2005 12:00 PM

Ah, Burns...I don't really know too much about it at the moment, but I've heard a rumour they are struggling for money, much like all movies that involve the UK at the moment.

I think the UK film industry will be dead within the year if something isn't done soon.

Posted by: Richard Brunton at April 5, 2005 12:50 PM

Awwww... this is gonna be a real killjoy if they dont get to shoot the Burns here. But didnt they shoot "Dear Frankie" in Scotland? It was indie though.

Posted by: Simone at April 5, 2005 01:51 PM

That last post didnt sound right, the Burns. LOL I meant the Burns movie.

Posted by: Simone at April 5, 2005 01:52 PM