Queenstown’s set to replicate Alaska in summer in the Paramount Pictures production, which has been in development since 2017.
The survival thriller follows a former Navy SEAL and his retired combat dog as they attempt to find civilisation after a catastrophic accident deep in the Alaskan wilderness.
Coming in the wake of a huge Netflix production, East of Eden, currently being shot in Oamaru, Heart of the Beast is expected to be a great boost for the region’s economy.
Mountain Scene understands the shoot will last between five and seven weeks before post-production takes place in Auckland.
Last year it was revealed David Ayer is directing the film, following his success with thriller The Beehive.
Another of his credits was World War 2 tank drama, Fury, with Pitt.
Ayer will be partnering with Chris Long, the producers are Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle and actress Olivia Hamilton, and Cameron Alexander, who wrote the screenplay, will be executive producer.
It’s understood the director of photography will be Italian-American cinematographer Mauro Fiore, who won an Academy Award for best cinematography for his work on Avatar.
It’s thought location scouting is under way this week.
If he’s confirmed, Pitt, who’s lately been shooting a Formula One movie called F1, will be the biggest acting star to shoot in Queenstown since 2017 when Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon shot A Wrinkle in Time and Tom Cruise was here for Mission: Impossible — Fallout.
