'Hawaii Five-0' offers hope
to slumping local film biz

The Walt Disney feature film "Meet The Deedles," which had been scheduled to begin production on Oahu this summer, has been canceled by the studio after the film's director quit the project, said Georgette Deemer, Oahu Film Office manager.

Jack Lord - Steve McGarrett
in the original Five-O series.

Hawaii still is being considered as a location - along with Australia - for two other Disney features, "George of the Jungle" and "Mighty Joe Young."

"George" is scheduled to begin filming in September; "Mighty Joe Young" early next year.

Meanwhile, state and Honolulu film offices are cautious but optimistic about the planned "Hawaii Five-0" film production announced this week.

Executive producer George Litto said "Hawaii Five-0: Day of Infamy," with its $50 million to $70 million budget, will begin production in Hawaii as soon as January or as late as spring.

Hawaii's film offices had not been contacted about the film when the announcement was made.

"We've been contacted many, many times before when the rights to ("Hawaii Five-0") were held by another studio," Deemer said. "And all those plans never happened."

Added Walea Constantinau, Oahu film office liaison: "The show was such an icon of American television that we would love to see it happen here and provide as much support as we can."