Andrew Adamson and Crew Welcomed to NZ

West Auckland is set to transform into the fantasy world of Narnia after the makers of Walt Disney’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” arrived in New Zealand.

The film’s director Andrew Adamson, the brains behind Shrek and the upcoming Shrek 2, and about 40 crew were welcomed onto Hoani Waititi marae in West Auckland Tuesday morning.

They will be based in Henderson for the film adaptation of the classic CS Lewis book, written more than half a century ago.

Adamson says they will employ mainly New Zealand crew before filming starts in June.

“We’ll have probably have 85-90% New Zealand crew. We are lucky that there is a strong New Zealand film community,” Adamson said.

With production expected to take at least six months, the economic spin-offs has the local council excited.

“It means millions for this community, it always does when a big film production comes and stays for a period as this production will,” Waitakere City Council Mayor Bob Harvey said.

Key casting decisions are still to be made and rumours that Nicole Kidman was to play the White Queen have been quashed. The four main roles are children and they will probably be English, although Adamson says they will audition New Zealand children for other roles.

With seven books in the series, Narnia offers huge scope for a profitable film franchise.

© One News

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