‘M3GAN’ Producers Talk Casting Their Killer Doll & Benefits Of Shooting The Low-Budget Horror In New Zealand
deadline.comEXCLUSIVE: New Zealand has long been known as a prime destination for big budget films such as Avatar and The Lord of the Rings thanks to its enviable locations, skilled crew base and generous 40% tax rebate.
But, earlier this year when Avatar: The Way of Water was on its way to breaking multiple box office records as it climbed to its $2.3BN tally, there was another New Zealand-shot project that was making a dent in the global box office chart.
Universal, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster’s killer doll hit M3GAN amassed an impressive $176M worldwide from just a $12M budget after its January release.
While the film was set in Seattle, it was, in fact, shot in Auckland in 2021 after the pandemic forced the project to pivot from a Montreal shoot to New Zealand’s relatively Covid-free shores. (The film’s sequel, which Universal has set for a January 2025 release, has yet to confirm whether it will lense again in New Zealand, but sources indicate that it is highly likely).
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