Harbour St in the historic precinct will be closed for filming from August 16 to 19.
Film publicist Sue May confirmed the dates yesterday. Part of the time would be spent filming at another undisclosed location in North Otago.
A day would also be spent at Timaru Airport and in Dunedin.
Mister Pip is based on the best-selling book by Lloyd Jones, adapted into a screenplay by New Zealand producer Andrew Adamson.
It is being filmed by a New Zealand-registered company, Mr Pip Ltd.
One of the stars in the film is British actor Hugh Laurie, although he will not be in Oamaru during the filming.
On Wednesday, the Waitaki District Council will advertise the closure of Harbour St between Tyne and Wansbeck Sts from 8am on August 16 to 10am on August 19.
It has also allowed an extra day on August 20 if weather disrupts filming.
Ms May said yesterday filming would take place in both Harbour St and inside its buildings.
The location had been chosen to represent Victorian London.
Local extras would be used in some scenes, along with local cars and owners.
Film representatives and location scouts visited Oamaru and North Otago just after Easter.
They looked at the old freezer building on the Oamaru foreshore just north of Oamaru Creek, the historic precinct and harbour and also visited the Totara area and Campbell Park at Otekaieke.
Mister Pip tells the story of the last white man left on the strife-torn island of Bougainville during the 1990 blockade by Papua New Guinea.
He reopens a school and uses the Dickens novel Great Expectations to inspire pupils, particularly a gifted 14-year-old named Matilda.
Oscar-nominated Adamson, who optioned the rights to the book, both directed the movie Shrek 2 and was co-screenwriter and the director of the first two movies in the Chronicles of Narnia series.
Part of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was filmed in North Otago.
Mr Pip Ltd was incorporated in New Zealand in March.
Adamson owns 90% of the shares and Eyeworks Film and TV Drama Ltd the other 10%.
