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Cameras have started rolling on the Gold Coast as a double for Los Angeles in the latest Hollywood production to start filming in Queensland, with big names including Isla Fisher and Leslie Mann to star in the comedy Spa Weekend from writer-directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.
Lucas and Moore wrote the cult classic The Hangover that screened in 2009, and as writers and directors their most recent hit was the comedy Bad Moms in 2016 which won a People's Choice Award.
Spa Weekend, also starring Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris, appears to draw on The Hangover storyline formula as it follows three best friends whose luxury weekend escape in Palm Springs descends into hilarious chaos when their trainwreck friend turns up unexpectedly.
The film is being produced by Black Bear and Suzanne Todd Productions, which between them have been involved in such films as Gold, The Imitation Game, Memento and Austin Powers, as well as production services from Australia’s Brouhaha Entertainment - a company that was involved in Brisbane Netflix hit Boy Swallows Universe.
The production was secured for the Sunshine State through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy, which was also the catalyst for another Hollywood production - a remake of Anaconda - that is now filming with Jack Black and Paul Rudd.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said that the screen agency was delighted to continue to work with Brouhaha Entertainment after the enormous success of Boy Swallows Universe and the forthcoming thriller Dangerous Animals.
“Queensland’s screen production sector balances welcoming international blockbusters like Voltron, Anaconda and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters alongside high quality Australian content with global appeal, such as Black Snow," she said.
“We look forward to the Spa Weekend team experiencing the production paradise that our local sector so proudly provides, time and time again.”
Brouhaha Entertainment’s Troy Lum said his team was excited to be back in the Sunshine State for the third time in as many years with Spa Weekend for Suzanne Todd and the company's friends at Black Bear.
"Queensland’s remarkable talent, both on and offscreen, and its diverse locations continue to bring us north," he said.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the Crisafulli Government is committed to fostering a world-class screen production sector to continue to lure local and international film and series creators.
“Queensland’s reputation as a production destination of choice has never been stronger, thanks to our renowned crew base, versatile locations, enviable lifestyle, and first-class facilities.
“Supported by the Crisafulli Government’s competitive production incentive, Spa Weekend is the latest in a steady pipeline of films and series creating long-term careers for our screen practitioners.
“This production will benefit from decades of dedication and expertise from the local industry, while generating almost 200 employment opportunities, supporting local Gold Coast businesses and injecting an estimated $12 million into the state’s economy.”
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