Australia

Australia’s big news is that Perth Film Studios, the first such facility on the west coast, is due to open in early 2026. The $147m (a$233m) purpose-built facility (owned by the state government but operated privately) features four soundstages totalling 8,400 square metres on 16 hectares in the suburb of Malaga, all with farmland, beaches, heritage towns, wildlife reserves, Perth’s modern central business district and an airport within 20 kilometres.

The studios are part of a multi-faceted push to grow Western Australia’s screen sector and open a huge expanse of unique, largely unexplored locations to the global industry, according to studio business and industry development director James Grandison, who recently produced Arenamedia’s Blueback and Ireland-Australia co-production The Surfer. The studios will aim to capitalise on Australia’s improved incentives as well as its mostly great climate. 

“The weather is wonderful, although we did brave a cyclone,” says Todd Lieberman, a producer on Rawson Marshall Thurber’s Amazon MGM Studio live-action feature Voltron. “We needed a lot of stage space to build our worlds along with some varied exteriors and we found it all in Australia.” Other drawcards were “excellent crews, incentives and [the] exchange rate”. Queensland government executives said Voltron, which was at Village Roadshow Studios until April 2025, would inject $63m (a$100m) into the economy. 

Other projects shot in Australia include director Mark Vanselow’s action thriller The Mongoose, starring Liam Neeson; Jon Lucas and Scott Moore’s destination comedy Spa Weekend, starring Isla Fisher; Derrick Borte’s action thriller Bear Country, with Russell Crowe; Tom Gormican’s Sony Pictures reimagining of Anaconda, starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black; All Her Fault, a Peacock series starring Sarah Snook; season two of Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters; and Baltasar Kormakur’s Netflix serial-killer thriller Apex, with Charlize Theron and Eric Bana. 

Another feature, WME Independent’s Place To Be, was due to be filmed in Atlanta until producer Jomon Thomas sat down with director Kornel Mundruczo and “suggested the possibility of Sydney”, recalls Thomas. “He was intrigued and, after an initial visit, was pleasantly surprised that it could work for Chicago and New York.” The drama charts an unlikely friendship, and stars Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi and Pamela Anderson. The film is using Disney Studios Australia and surrounding suburbs.

India-born Thomas was raised in the UAE. When he works on international films, it is rarely in Sydney, where he now lives. He says crew and location costs can be higher than in other countries but are offset by the tax rebates. “There are also great initiatives like the Made in NSW programme at Screen NSW. 

Studio availability limits production, but Docklands Studios Melbourne in Victoria, Sydney’s Disney Studios Australia in New South Wales, and Village Roadshow Studios on Queensland’s Gold Coast, will soon sit alongside a fourth big asset, Perth Film Studios. Key service companies include Fremantle Australia, Princess Pictures, Servo and Silent Firework. The quality of the English-speaking crews and non-lead actors means productions rarely arrive with numerous personnel. Only locals must worry about crew depth. Newcomers realise quickly, as one producer says, “As far away as Australia is, it really does feel similar to making a movie in the States.”

Thomas adds: "The positive mindset and hardworking attitude of Australian crews is incredible. There’s a collaborative, get-your-hands-dirty attitude that’s felt on set.”

“The quality of natural light is exceptional,” says Thomas. “We’ve been able to capture skylines that echo Brooklyn through to cool art deco buildings. There’s also Sydney’s natural backdrop of incredible ocean vistas, rock faces and jungle-type rainforests.” 

Australia is the world’s sixth largest country. Driving east to west, from Sydney to Perth, without stopping, would take 40 hours. Flying costs at least $250 (a$400) one way and up to $630 (a$1,000). The big studios are in major centres and near international airports. 

Travel from Europe and the US is still expensive and a disadvantage when attaching cast. While acknowledging Australia can seem far away, Ausfilm CEO Kate Marks asserts: “The consistently glowing response to the lifestyle and production experience here make up for any perceived barrier, as exemplified by the repeat business we get.”

First person to contact

Erin Stam, Ausfilm USA: erin.stam@ausfilm.com