Hollywood film to be shot in Wanaka next month

Shooting will begin in Wanaka and Queenstown next month.

A Warner Brothers movie is to be shot near Wanaka during the next two months.

The film, 10,000BC, was originally to be shot mainly in Africa with some additional scenes filmed in the Fox and Franz Josef glacier areas.

But when director Roland Emmerich, of Independence Day fame, discovered Snow Farm near Wanaka the decision was made to spend five weeks shooting there, the Otago Daily Times reports.

The movie tells of a young mammoth hunter who goes on a journey to secure a future for his dying tribe.

It stars Omar Sharif, Camilla Belle and Steven Strait.

About 300 cast and crew will arrive in Wanaka and Queenstown next month with shooting scheduled to start on May 1.

There will be a further 10 weeks of shooting in Africa.

- NZPA