GOVERNOR CUOMO AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES ANNOUNCE UPCOMING FEATURE OCEAN’S 8 STARTS FILMING IN NEW YORK STATE
New York Press Release ~
Latest Installment of Blockbuster Ocean’s Series Features All-Female Cast Including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna and Anne Hathaway
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. today announced Ocean’s 8, the latest installment of the blockbuster Ocean’s series, is filming in New York State. Filming recently began in New York City and is expected to result in more than $60 million in direct spending, create at least 250 jobs and cast an additional 2,200 extras.
“New York is the heart of the entertainment industry and continues to attract top-tier productions that create economic activity and opportunity,” Governor Cuomo said. “The production of this exciting, all-female feature film will create hundreds of jobs, generate millions of dollars in economic impact and further build the booming film industry in the Empire State.”
Michael Walbrecht, Vice President, Public Affairs, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., said,“New York is an incredible state for filming, both visually and logistically. We have set our story in and around New York City and we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else to capture the look and feel of such a distinctive city.”
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “We are excited to be hosting the award-winning cast and crew of Ocean’s 8 this fall. Building on the success of last year’s industry impact of more than $3 billion, this film is a great addition to the lineup of top-notch productions filming here in New York State.”
The Marcy Armory, located in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, serves as the production’s home base. Constructed in 1883, the 165,166 square-foot National Guard Armory has been the setting for other notable films, such as Noah and Spiderman 2, and continues to stimulate economic activity and generate revenue for the state as a film destination, while also serving as community space available for a variety of rental uses.
New York’s Film Tax Credit program has been identified by a number of major film productions and television series as a deciding factor when choosing to film in the state. Since the Program’s inception, 1,501 film and television projects have hired more than one million new employees and generated over $23 billion in new spending and economic activity throughout the state. In 2015 alone, a record 202 film and television projects applied for the program, estimated to generate 188,288 new hires and $3.05 billion in new spending statewide. This year, 168 new projects are already participating in the program, hiring nearly 186,925 new employees in the first ten months of 2016.
About the New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture & Television Development
The New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture & Television Development, a division of Empire State Development, offers film, television and commercial productions and post production tax credits for qualified expenditures in New York State. The office also serves as a liaison between production companies and city and local governments, state agencies, a network of statewide contacts, local film offices and professional location scouts and managers. For more information on filming in New York State or the Film Production and Post Production Tax Credit Programs, visit www.nylovesfilm.com.
About Ocean’s 8
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Gary Ross directs Ocean’s 8 from a screenplay he wrote with Olivia Milch. The film stars Oscar winners Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, with Rihanna and Oscar nominee Helena Bonham Carter. Steven Soderbergh is producing, with Michael Tadross, Susan Ekins, Sandra Bullock, Diana Alvarez and Bruce Berman executive producing and Olivia Milch co-producing. The film is set for release in Summer 2018 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.