Considered one of California’s defining literary works, East of Eden is deeply tied to the Salinas Valley and the state’s geography and identity, New York Post reported.
Dunedin, Maniototo and Ōamaru locations will feature in Netflix’s East of Eden, due for release later this year. Photo / Supplied
However Phil Turner, locations manager who worked on East of Eden, said the region offered rare authenticity.
“These are incredibly unique locations that can replicate period settings in a way that’s very difficult to achieve elsewhere; you’d almost have to build a set to match somewhere like the Ōamaru Historic Precinct. It’s unique globally,” he said.
New Zealand also offers generous screen production rebates, which can return up to 20% of qualifying costs to international studios, which have long made the country an attractive destination for major Hollywood productions.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has made this a goal for the government.
“We are sending a clear message to the world: New Zealand is the best place in the world to make movies,” Willis said last year. “Bring your productions here to take advantage of our talent and locations.”
Ōamaru’s Victorian Precinct was transformed into early 20th-century California during filming for Netflix’s East of Eden. Photo / Supplied
Filming wrapped in New Zealand this year, before United States President Donald Trump’s threat of 100% tariffs on films produced outside the US, New York Post reported.
Trump said Hollywood was dying a “very fast death” because of incentives offered by other countries.
“I never thought I’d see the day when it would be MORE expensive to shoot a movie or TV series in LA than anywhere else in the country or world,” a user posted on X.
The seven-episode series stars Florence Pugh and is expected to debut this year.