Aussie seals new Narnia film deal

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Most of the third film in the Narnia series is likely to be shot in Queensland - although it is still possible that some of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader could be shot in New Zealand.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has confirmed that the Australian state's Pacific Film and Television Commission was in negotiations with 20th Century Fox and Walden Media to have the A$150-million (NZ$191m) film, co-produced by Kiwi Andrew Adamson, largely shot in Queensland.

Much of the action in the film takes place at sea, and Warner Roadshow Studios has three film water tanks, including the largest purpose-built tank in Australia.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was to have been largely shot at Baja Studios in Mexico, which has a water tank used for Titanic. But ongoing drug wars in the region have made it unsafe.

Adamson directed the first two Narnia films, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and some shooting for both was done in New Zealand. He is one of the producers on the third instalment.

Prince Caspian producer Mark Johnson told The Dominion Post last year that neither he nor Adamson had ruled out shooting some scenes for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader here.

Film New Zealand, which promotes New Zealand as a location to make movies, could not say whether The Voyage of the Dawn Treader had made any decision about shooting here.

Film New Zealand chairman Julian Grimmond said Queensland's studio facilities - including water tanks - were a reminder that we needed similar facilities to attract film-makers here.