The third installment of Disney and Walden Media’s The Chronicles of Narnia franchise will move its production to Mexico from New Zealand, where the previous two installments shot, Variety reported.
Production of the first two films–The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian–was based in New Zealand largely because of government tax incentives. Weta Digital and Weta Workshop, which created most of the films’ effects and props, also are based in that country.
By contrast, the third movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, to be directed by Michael Apted, needs several large soundstages plus a massive water tank: The title of the film refers to the ship that serves as a major set piece.
Because of that, production will move to Rosarito, Mexico, and set up shop at Baja Studios, where Titanic, Deep Blue Sea and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World were shot.
Location shots in Australia will still be filmed as planned. Production originally was slated to start in October, but will now likely begin in January.
