Since March, New Zealand has banned entry to anyone other than New Zealand nationals or permanent residents due to the coronavirus outbreak.
However, on May 31st, with special permission, the production team of the film Avatar arrived in Wellington, New Zealand's capital, from Los Angeles on a special chartered Air NZ flight.
Flights from Los Angeles to New Zealand normally arrive in Auckland, so this will be the first time there has been a direct flight to the capital, Wellington.
→ Avatar crew touch down in Wellington in historic flight from LA
Avatar is an American film directed by James Cameron and released in 2009. It was a 3D film that caused a big stir at the time and won three Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Visual Effects.
There had been talk of a sequel for some time, but last year, Avatar 2 (tentative title) was finally announced for release on December 17, 2021. Filming was scheduled to begin in March in New Zealand, following the first film, but was postponed due to COVID-19.
However, once the production team arrives in New Zealand, they will travel straight from the airport to a quarantine facility where they will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
New Zealand is a popular filming location
New Zealand is famous as a filming location for popular movies such as Avatar, The Last Samurai, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Every time a movie is shot on location, many jobs are created in New Zealand and the locations become popular tourist destinations even after filming has finished, having a major impact on the New Zealand economy.
Hobbiton , the Hobbiton movie set, was used in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations attracting tourists from all over the world.
It was closed due to the COVID-19 lockdown, but reopened on May 30th.
In addition to the filming locations, Weta Workshop, a special effects and props studio located on the outskirts of Wellington, has been involved in many Hollywood films and has won numerous awards. Tours that allow you to see the studio up close are also very popular.
Is entry to NZ possible based on contribution to the economy?
The resumption of filming for Avatar 2 in New Zealand is good news for the film's production team, the local locations who are hoping for an economic boost, and fans eagerly awaiting the film's release.
However, New Zealand has closed its borders to foreigners, and there are many New Zealanders around the world who are unable to return to New Zealand, and many people are unhappy about accepting a production team from Los Angeles, a hotspot for the coronavirus.
Wendy Harnett, who lives in Wellington, says her Japanese husband is currently unable to return to New Zealand from Japan.
There are many people eager to see their families return home overseas, and the return of New Zealanders overseas should take priority over filmmakers and businesses.
Currently, foreigners may be permitted to enter New Zealand with the permission of the Economic Development Minister (equivalent to the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan) if they can make a significant contribution to the New Zealand economy, and it is likely that this is why the Avatar production team is entering the country.
However, the criteria for determining whether or not a person can enter the country have not been clearly made public, which has led to criticism.
As of May 31, New Zealand has recorded zero new cases of COVID-19 for nine consecutive days, with only one case remaining in the country.
