Lensing To Begin This August For 17 Weeks
After finally settling on the adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s “The Great Gatsby” as his next project, Baz Luhrmann is now set to take the production to his hometown of Sydney, Australia, where lensing in 3D (yes, 3D!) will begin this August.
ABC reports that Luhrmann has “brushed off” the novel’s iconic New York setting as a shooting location and will bring the production to Fox Studios in Sydney, the same facilities which have housed such major films as “The Matrix” trilogy, the “Star Wars” prequels and, of course, Luhrmann’s own “Moulin Rouge!” and “Australia.” Furthermore, after earlier workshopping in the stereoscopic format, ‘Gatsby’ will also evidently find Luhrmann leading the first ever live-action 3D film made in the state of New South Wales, trumping George Miller‘s new “Mad Max” film which was presumably set to take that mantle before it was significantly delayed — both are being backed by Warner Bros.
The deal to bring ‘Gatsby’ to Australia’s Harbour City was reportedly secured by the state’s film investment fund as well as unnamed incentives which was no doubt a major attraction compared to typical through-the-roof taxes on New York productions. “This comes at a good time for the film industry,” NSW premier Kristina Kenneally told THR. “Australia was thought to be losing international filmmaking due to the strong Aussie dollar – put simply, this is a big win.”
Adapted for the screen by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce (“Romeo + Juliet,” “Moulin Rouge!”), the film will star Tobey Maguire as protagonist/narrator Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby for the iconic Fitzgerald tale — which itself has been adapted several times before including a Jack Clayton version starring Robert Redford, Mia Farrow and Sam Waterston as the leading trio.
A no doubt extensive pre-production will kick off next month in preparation for lensing which is set to begin this August for 17 weeks. The 30 weeks after that, though, will be dedicated to post-production, bringing things well into 2012.
