Green Lantern gets green light

The Hollywood comic book movie Green Lantern has been confirmed to shoot in Sydney later this year.

After months of speculation since the film-makers scouted locations late last year, the Premier, Nathan Rees, has announced the big budget movie will shoot at Fox Studios from November.

"The production is expected to employ 500 people at any given time, including 100 performers, 200 crew and thousands of extras,'' he said.

Green Lantern, which is being produced by Warner Bros and DC Comics, will be directed by Martin Campbell, best known for the James Bond movies GoldenEye and Casino Royale. His other movies include The Mask of Zorro and the upcoming Mel Gibson thriller Edge of Darkness.

There have been rumours the green hero will be played by Chris Pine, who currently starring as a young James T Kirk in the new Star Trek movie.

The falling value of the dollar has helped the state get back in the business of attracting runaway Hollywood movies.

While Fox Studios has hosted Australia, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the animated Happy Feet, the last movie without a personal film-making connection to Sydney was Superman Returns more than three years ago.
Two other animated movies are also underway in Sydney: Guardians of Ga'Hoole at Animal Logic and George Miller's Babe 2.

As well as Green Lantern, NSW is hoping to grab the next Chronicles of Narnia instalment The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

-with AAP