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Maui’s Movie Magic

Jai Mansson / Flickr
Jai Mansson / Flickr

The natural beauty of Hawai‘i has led to its use in many Hollywood films and television productions.  And while O‘ahu has been the setting for current or recent projects from Hawai‘i Five-O to Jurassic World, another island will soon be getting in on the action.  Eileen Chao has more from the Maui News. 

Maui is on its way to becoming the scenic backdrop to some major Hollywood films, including a couple of movies with well-known comedians.  Production is scheduled to begin this winter on a new feature film titled “Aloha Santa.”  While officials have kept most of the details of the film hush hush, they have said the new movie will star comedian George Lopez.  Filming is scheduled to begin on Maui in December.

And that's just one of a number of film projects headed for Maui.   Maui County Film Commissioner Tracy Bennett released a list of future projects booked to film at the Maui Lani Village Center, the island's only film studio.  Bennet says that Maui projects have been gaining traction since the state increased film subsidies for Neighbor Islands in 2013.  It's taken a couple years for the Maui film studio to get off the ground.  Cinelease, which has ties with Hawaii Film Studio on Oahu, took over the space in August, and is already lining up productions.

Other projects slated to film on Maui include an untitled action-comedy project starring Amy Schumer, a TV series soap opera set against Maui's surf culture and a zombie-themed feature film for the SyFy Channel.

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