Stars in Victoria to film Netflix thriller

Savannah Meacham and Rachael Ward |

Hollywood veteran Dennis Quaid will co-star in Victorian-filmed War Machine.
Hollywood veteran Dennis Quaid will co-star in Victorian-filmed War Machine.

Hollywood stars have descended on Victoria to shoot a blockbuster Netflix thriller written by a local filmmaker.

Alan Ritchson, best known for his role in Reacher, will play the lead in the sci-fi action movie War Machine which follows a team of Army Rangers who encounter an “unimaginable” threat.

It will also feature Tinseltown main man Dennis Quaid, who has starred in decades’ worth of recognisable films including Far from Heaven, Reagan and The Parent Trap.

Filming will take place around Bright and Myrtleford as well as Melbourne and Docklands Studios.

Serinda Swan, from left, Alan Ritchson, Shaun Sipos and Maria Sten
Alan Ritchson (second left) is best known for his role in TV series Reacher. (AP PHOTO)

Homegrown filmmaker Patrick Hughes said he is excited after directing overseas for years to bring the creation of a movie back down under.

“It’s been a lifelong dream to bring Hollywood-style blockbusters home to Australia,” he said on Sunday.

“I’m thrilled to finally bring this passion project to life right here and collaborate with an outstanding blend of international talent and our remarkable local cast, crew and support teams.”

The star-studded cast also features the Suicide Squad’s Jai Courtney, The Piano Lesson’s Stephan James and Esai Morales from Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

Several Australian actors have also been cast including Mystery Road: Origin’s Blake Richardson, Keiynan Lonsdale from The Flash and Daniel Webber from The Dirt.

It will be distributed at cinemas in Australia and released on Netflix globally once completed.

Daniel Webber
The Dirt’s Daniel Webber is among several Australians cast in War Machine. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

The production is expected to create more than 2100 local jobs and inject an overall $73 million into the state economy with $7.5 million of that going to regional businesses.

“It’s so good to see after the impacts of the writer strike in the US, which had follow-on effects to the amount of production here in Victoria and around Australia and other jurisdictions,” Creative Industries Minister Colin Brooks told reporters. 

“(Now) films are happening big time here in Melbourne, it is a great place for film production.”

War Machine joins a raft of sizeable international productions filmed in Victoria including All Her Fault and Beneath The Storm.

AAP