As announced in several news items here, Michael Shanks is starring in a new film, Arctic Blast, being filmed on the island and state of Tasmania, Australia. Production started this week, and Michael was scheduled to start filming by now. The film, which Michael hinted at a recent convention has a similar premise to “The Day After Tomorrow”, is a disaster movie about a world-wide freezing event. A bit of plot information comes from this article (SPOILERS!):
Written by Jason Bourque, “Arctic Blast” tells the chilling story of a mega ice fog caused by a rip in the earth’s upper atmosphere over the South Pole. The killer fog grows in size and fury and moves northward from the polar wastes destroying everything in its path.
As similar rifts appear above cities around the world, only Jack (Michael Shanks), a maverick US meteorologist on the ground in Hobart and his small team of climate researchers based in Australia and the US, can save the world from imminent destruction and at the same time reconcile himself with his estranged wife Emma (Alexandra Davies “X Men Origins – Wolverine”) and his daughter Andrea (Indiana Evans).
The import of this film is perhaps not the subject matter, but rather that its production in Tasmania is a result of Australian incentives to bring film production there. From this article:
“Arctic Blast will provide considerable economic benefits for Tasmania. The Screen Tasmania investment of $150 000 will generate more than $600 000 into the economy during production. About 60 Tasmanian cast and crew will work on the film, including eight trainees. It will provide valuable on-set production experience and develop their acting skills. Mr. Aird said the arrival of United States actor Michael Shanks later this week will also generate international exposure for Tasmania’s screen industry.
The film is scheduled to be ready for release by the end of May of 2010, with various entities releasing it in the second half of 2010. No word yet if Syfy will air it in US. Watch this space for more info.