Some people will shudder at the thought but most of us will be jumping for joy and that is because “Happy Feet 2” is in production. Director George Miller tap-danced away in happiness as production commenced in Sydney, Australia.
The move to Australia is an effort by the director to boost the local film industry in much the same way as many New Zealanders have done for their own country with the most notable of these, being the creator of many movie juggernauts, James Cameron. Upgraded motion capture studios have enabled Miller to shoot the movie in Sydney while Robin Williams, Elijah Wood and Hank Azaria arrived there recently to begin their voicing work.
Miller is keeping more or less tight lipped about the sequel refusing to reveal anything more than “there will be some old characters, some new characters and it will have a different story”. Cryptic as that maybe, the go ahead for the movie has delighted more than the fans; it will create about 500 jobs in New South Wales and give the local economy a shot in the arm as well, great news indeed in times of recession. “Happy Feet” is not the only one contributing to the economy, 34 other projects in 2009 turned in AUS $62 million for the state reflecting a massive return on the AUS $5.7 million investment.
The involvement of two premiere Australian actors, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman who played the lead character’s parents in the first movie is currently unknown. Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are new additions to the cast and are expected to begin voicing in the near future.