State government-owned agency Screen Queensland announced today that Godzilla vs Kong 2 will film in Queensland, Australia, later this year. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said shooting will take place in locations across the Gold Coast and southeast Queensland.
“We are delighted to welcome producers Legendary Pictures back to Queensland, following the filming of Kong Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong in the state in 2016 and 2019 respectively,” Palaszczuk said. “It’s clear our highly skilled local crew, diverse locations, and first-rate facilities were definite draw cards for them to come back again.”
Released in theaters in March of 2021, Godzilla vs Kong grossed $468.2 million at the global box office, with $100.9 million coming from North America and $367.3 million from international markets.
The filming of Godzilla vs Kong 2 is expected to deliver a monster A$79.2 million economic boost to Queensland, Screen Queensland said. The production will also create 505 cast and crew jobs, as well as opportunities for 750 extras.
“The production is expected to inject more than double the $36.5 million that Godzilla vs. Kong brought to the state and is a welcome boost to our economy as we recover from the impacts of the global pandemic and south-east Queensland flooding events,” added the Premier.
“These types of productions benefit our screen industry, deliver local jobs, and provide a welcome boost to our small businesses and communities in and around our production sites.”
Screen Queensland CEO Kylie Munnich said securing this film is a testament to Queensland’s ability to attract repeat business. “We are thrilled to see Legendary Pictures return to our state.
“It is Screen Queensland’s role to support our strong local screen sector and provide career opportunities for homegrown talent by securing local, interstate, and international productions. The latest installment adds to an exciting slate of productions currently filming in Queensland, including the highly anticipated Disney+ series Nautilus and season two of Tim Minchi’s Foxtel Series Upright.”
Godzilla vs Kong 2 producer Eric McLeod said the team is excited to be returning to Australia for the third time in the MonsterVerse franchise. “The highly skilled crews, first-rate facilities, and unique locations make filming in Australia a great experience.
“The support from both the federal government as well as Queensland has always been critical to our success in achieving a high level of filmmaking and an unparalleled audience experience.”
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said: “The sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong will boost local businesses in and around the Gold Coast and South East Queensland, provide valuable training opportunities for our up-and-coming industry talent, and showcase Australia’s vibrant and versatile landscapes.
“This marks the 15th production drawn to Queensland under the Location Incentive, attracting more than $136 million in funding from the Federal Government and generating a total expenditure of $1.02 billion. This investment has created more than 6,800 jobs for Aussie cast and crew and provided support for 6,600 businesses throughout the sunshine state.”
The Queensland Government has also contributed A$6.3 million to the production under Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy.
Directed by Adam Wingard, Godzilla vs Kong stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Jessica Henwick, Julian Dennison, Kyle Chandler, and Demián Bichir.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.