Filming 'Avatar' sequel to bring millions of dollars to New Zealand, says producer

"Avatar" producer Jon Landau on Monday said the filming will provide job opportunities by bringing in a huge investment to New Zealand after the country successfully contained the coronavirus outbreak.  

According to Reuters, the production of James Cameron's sci-fi blockbuster “Avatar” resumed on Monday.

The film’s crew, including director Cameron and producer Jon Landau, was given special permission to fly to New Zealand two weeks ago, even though its borders are closed to keep out the coronavirus, stirring some grumbling about unfair treatment.

But Landau said New Zealand had much to gain.

“This one production alone is going to hire 400 New Zealanders to work on it,” Landau told 1News after coming out of a hotel in Wellington where he and his colleagues have been in quarantine since they arrived.

“We’re going to spend, in the next five months alone, over $70 million here,” he said.

The filming was suspended in March, shortly before New Zealand went into a strict coronavirus lockdown.

The lockdown smothered the outbreak and last week, New Zealand lifted all restrictions except border controls after declaring it was free of the virus, one of the first countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic normality.

Cameron, Landau and many other crew members working on the “Avatar” sequel were allowed back on economic grounds, which critics said was unfair while families are still separated and businesses are struggling without key staff.

The film is among a handful of productions getting started in New Zealand, which hopes to win more film business after its successful campaign against the coronavirus.

“The opportunities are immense,” Landau said.