Hollywood star Jason Momoa attends the Fast X premiere at Sylvia Park in Auckland. Photo / Sylvia Whinray
Hollywood star Jason Momoa attends the Fast X premiere at Sylvia Park in Auckland. Photo / Sylvia Whinray
Jason Momoa looks set to extend his time in Aotearoa with plans to film part of a new movie here.
The Aquaman star has been filming his Apple TV+ series Chief of War in Northland. Spy has learned he is now to extend his love affair with Godzone by filming Minecraft next.
Spy understands pre-production has started on a live-action movie of the popular video game. It is also being partly shot in Canada.
It is great news for Momoa fans — and comes as part of a flood of good news for fans of Kiwi movies. Several projects are currently being presented during the Cannes Film Festival’s Marche du Film Announces, which features movies put forward to the Cannes Investors’ Circle in France.
Those involved include the likes of Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison, Karl Urban, Thomasin McKenzie and Melanie Lynskey.
Kiwi Ant Timpson’s family adventure comedy Bookworm, is being promoted there; the movie, understood to be wrapping filming this month in the South Island, stars Elijah Wood. The Lord of the Rings star has kept a relatively low profile while filming in Methven and Christchurch.
Wood’s Yellowjackets’ co-star Melanie Lynskey also has a “just announced” live-action animated Kiwi flick with an all-star NZ cast being introduced to international buyers at Cannes.
From left: Cliff Curtis, Melanie Lynskey, Thomasin McKenzie and Temuera Morrison. Photos / Getty Images
Lynskey is starring alongside Thomasin McKenzie, Karl Urban and Jemaine Clement in Oscar-nominated NZ film-maker Andrew Niccol’s new movie I, Object.
McKenzie is set to star in just-announced hot ticket psychological horror Self-Portrait, — also being shopped around at Cannes.
The 22-year-old, who has previously co-starred with Tinseltown A-listers Anne Hathaway and Anya Taylor Joy, will co-star with Big Little Lies’ star Zoe Kravitz. The film, set in a warehouse in 1990s Brooklyn, sees McKenzie as a grieving photographer and Kravitz as her accomplished painter neighbour.
Entertainment PR man Chris Henry is on the ground in France, networking many of the Kiwi movies, which also include Grafted, a horror recently filmed in Auckland, directed by LA-based, Wellington-born Sasha Rainbow.
Grafted, the young director’s first feature, follows a bright but socially awkward Chinese scholarship student who arrives in Auckland to study biology and hopes to continue the work of her late scientist father.
Filming took place in university buildings and various homes around Auckland.
Henry says Māori cinema is in the spotlight on the buyers’ circuit, with historical action-drama Ka Whawhai Tonu. The movie stars Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison and Miriama Smith. One of its producers is Piripi Curtis — Cliff’s cousin.
Set in 1864, the film tells the story of a pivotal battle in one of the country’s first land wars — a battle with impossible odds fought between Māori and the colonial forces.
Henry tells Spy that among the presentations at the Marche du Film, is upcoming feature Tina, produced by Daniel Higgins, husband of journalist Nadine.
The film tells the story of a sassy Samoan teacher who overcomes personal struggles to bring joy to a newly formed youth choir in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes. Directed by Miki Magasiva, it is the first production from his company, The Brown Factory.
Meanwhile, back home, Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul started filming his new sci-fi movie, Ash, in Auckland this week and has already been spotted by fans in Ponsonby.
Paul is joined in the movie by Kiwi actors Hawaii Five-0 star Beulah Koale and The Gulf’s Kate Elliott, as well as US actor Eiza Gonzalez, star of Baby Driver.
The movie is being directed by Grammy-winning rapper Flying Lotus, who also appears in the outer space thriller.
