Australia poised to score $150m deal for epic war series

April 8, 2007

THE multimillion dollar sequel to Steven Spielberg's acclaimed World War II series, Band Of Brothers, is bound for Australia. Production of the sequel, titled The Pacific, is expected to be confirmed this month.

With a budget of more than $150 million, the 10-part series is the most expensive ever made in Australia.

While the producers - Home Box Office, Tom Hanks's Playtone and Spielberg's DreamWorks - have not made an official comment about The Pacific, they have set up a production office in Melbourne and commenced casting.

The cameras are expected to start rolling in August, with locations to include Far North Queensland, Melbourne and the Northern Territory.

The sequel to Band Of Brothers focuses on the US involvement in the war in the Pacific and is anticipated to be based in Australia for close to a year.

It will employ about 280 Australian actors, including almost 20 male leads and at least 250 in supporting roles or as extras.

Producers have chosen to base the series at Melbourne's Central City Studios over Sydney's Fox Studios or Warner Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast.

AusFilm chief executive officer Mark Woods said a production as big as The Pacific would be a significant boost to the Australian film business.

"A production of the size and scale of The Pacific shooting in Australia would transform the local film industry," he said. "It is a huge production. If it does end up based here, it would be very exciting."

Australia has lobbied heavily for The Pacific to be based here.