AppleTV+ is set to shoot its epic sci-fi television series, Metropolis, which is inspired by director Fritz Lang’s 1927 sci-fi film of the same name, in Australia, Deadline is reporting. The streaming service’s big budget television adaptation of the classic movie is being written, directed and executive produced by Mr. Robot creator, Sam Esmail.
The production is expected to create 3,980 local jobs in the state of Victoria, where filming will take place. The limited series will employ 500 Victoria cast and crew and over 2,400 extras. Approximately 600 Victorian businesses and service providers will also work on, and benefit from, the local production.
NBCUniversal’s Universal Studio Group is producing Metropolis with Esmail, who also made a name for himself on television by helming several episodes of Amazon’s psychological thriller series, Homecoming. NBCUniversal’s Australian producer, Matchbox Pictures will handle the eight-part drama’s on-the-ground production details.
Metropolis is set in the titular futuristic urban dystopian city. It shows that while Metropolis’ wealthy elite enjoy a lavish life of comfort and ease in penthouses and pleasure gardens, scores of workers labor at dangerous machinery in the bowels of the city to keep everything running.
Freder Fredersen, the son of city master Jon Fredersen, the most powerful man in Metropolis, has an awakening after meeting a young worker named Maria. After he witnesses a number of workers die in an industrial accident, Freder decides he wants to bring the workers and classes together.
Australia’s VicScreen attracted Metropolis to the state through its Victorian Screen Incentive grant. The show is expected to be the first of several NBCU projects that will film in the region, which will bring $416 million AUD ($310 million USD) directly into the local economy over several years.
The Victoria state government is also backing Metropolis by supporting the building of state-of-the-art virtual production infrastructure, including one of the world’s largest permanent LED volumes. The high-tech digital screens display background environments and visual effects on set.
Caroline Pitcher, the CEO of VicScreen commented on the television series taking part in the new state-of-the-art virtual production infrastructure: “Metropolis‘ is set to be one of the most technically ambitious screen productions in the world, and the state-of-the-art infrastructure being built right here, along with our outstanding crew and locations, truly places Melbourne as amongst the worlds great screen production cities.”