A recent article in the Philadelphia-area published Mainline Today revealed that both Transformers 2 and M. Night Shyamalan’s Avatar: The Last Airbender could both be filming in the City of Brotherly Love as early as this summer.
The two films are among the recent productions who have applied to the Greater Philadelphia Film Office for tax incentives. To qualify for the 25% state tax credit, a film’s production must spend 60% of its budget in Pennsylvania. If the films are granted the credit, they could begin production in the area as soon as June, a Screen Actor’s Guild strike not withstanding.
It is no surprise that Shyamalan’s next film, based on a popular Japanese manga and which shouldn’t be confused with James Cameron’s own, subtitle-less, Avatar film, would be filming in the Philadelphia-area. The director has shot all of his films in the region.
What is interesting is that Transformers 2 looks to be leaving the first film’s Los Angeles climes for the East Coast. With Philadelphia just a short drive away from Amish Country, can we look forward to a horse-and-buggy autobot?
In addition to Shyamalan’s films, other recent films that have shot on location in the Philadelphia area include Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa and Peter Jackson’s upcoming The Lovely Bones. (Click here for a look at the one suburban neighborhood used by Jackson and company.)
Now it just so happens that FilmBuffOnLine’s world headquarters (OK, my wife’s and my home) happens to be in the Philadelphia suburb, so you can imagine that this news greatly excites me. If this comes to pass, rest assured that we will definitely be doing our best to bring you all the news directly from the sets we can.
Via SlashFilm.
