[quote]WELLINGTON - NEW Zealand would not enter a bidding war to keep The Hobbit movies, Prime Minister John Key said on Tuesday ahead of a meeting with Hollywood executives over the troubled project's fate.
The executives from US studio Warner Bros arrived in New Zealand this week to examine the logistics of moving the US$500 million (S$647 million) production offshore following a row between director Peter Jackson and actors' unions.
Mr Key, who will meet the executives later on Tuesday, said he believed New Zealand had a '50-50' chance of retaining the production, a two-part prequel to Jackson's Oscar winning Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
'From the conversations I've had with Warner Bros so far, I've made it quite clear if it comes to a bidding war, then New Zealand is out because I don't think that's the right way to run this,' he told reporters. Mr Key said offering special tax concessions for The Hobbit would set a precedent for other film productions in New Zealand.
'There is a limit here,' he said, adding that the government's existing 15 per cent tax rebate on major productions was worth NZ$60-80 million (S$58-78 million) to The Hobbit.
Mr Key said he would consider adjusting industrial laws to clarify the legal status of actors but pointed out that other factors such as the rising New Zealand dollar would also affect the studio's decision.[/quote]
lol New Zealand, seriously.
Sure NZ is pretty, but with today's technology setting and surrounding is no reason to move an entire production.
Are there sheep involved?
They'll just move to British Columbia, the weather and landscape on the coast is identical.
Fuckin GST increase :argh:
I just want the movie made to the same quality as the lord of the rings trilogy.
I don't blame them seeing as it's been canceled almost three times.
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