It is the first time that four major productions are all being shot at the same time in Malta. This is a major boost for the film industry on the islands, and puts Malta even more into the spotlight as a great shooting location.
Clavius: the biblical drama featuring Joseph Finnes and Tom Felton is scheduled to be released in 2015. It was mentioned that the movie will rake in about €6 million in investments for the country. The movie is directed by Kevin Reynolds, who also directed the Count of Monte Cristo in Malta in 2002.
By the Sea: also scheduled to be released in 2015, the movie features Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in a story about a former dancer and her husband in the 1970s. The movie is currently being filmed in Gozo.
The two other major productions that are being shot in Malta are DoveKeepers and Andron. However, there is not much information about the productions available yet.
The film industry in Malta is growing. There have been other major productions in the past that used the scenic nature and historic environment for their productions. For example, in the first season of Game of Thrones, many historic places, as well as the breathtaking Azure window in Gozo have been used as a filming location. The movie production company for the film Popeye (1980) built the Popeye Village as a film set in the north-west of the island Malta. Today, the film set is still there and can be visited. It is now used as an entertainment park for children. However, the view from the cliffs opposite the village is breathtaking and definitely worth a visit. We can only wait and see now what other great productions are going to be shot on the island. It is an exciting time for Malta!