Reel News
‘Hawaii Five-O’ movie crew
to scout Oahu
George Litto, executive producer of the officially titled "Hawaii Five-O: The Movie," visits Oahu in September to meet with film commissioners, tour the Hawaii Film Studio and scout locations for the $80 million to $100 million pic.Litto says he's close to signing a U.S. distribution deal with a major studio. Discussions "with a major director" are expected to conclude in a week. "Then we can go after the big star we want for the Steve McGarrett character," Litto said, declining to name names.
The completed Roger Towne script is "powerful and ready to go," he said. Filming would take place next year and include about five months of preproduction and filming in Hawaii and possibly other locales. Rumors that Jack Lord will be inserted in the film in a CGI context are baseless, Litto said.
Detroit has even gotten on the bandwagon. Automobile magazine's August issue has a story — "Steve McGarrett, Your New Car is Ready" — saying the new Mercury Marauder would have been perfect for Five-O's top cop. And it picks Ford's Crown Victoria for Danno. ...
John Stockwell, director and co-writer of "Blue Crush," fell so in love with Hawaii during filming here that he plans to move from Los Angeles to Oahu's North Shore with his wife and children to try to produce a television show here. No, it's not about surfing. ...
On-again, off-again "Guam Goes to the Moon," to film in Hawaii under the Paramount banner, is on hold. ...
The Ilikai Renaissance Waikiki hotel is getting ready to "Rock." For six weeks, from mid-September through October, 75 cast and crew members for Universal Pictures' "Helldorado" will call the Ilikai home. Shooting is slated to begin Sept. 20. The Ilikai was home to 300 extras and crew for the just-wrapped Bruce Willis film "Tears of the Sun."
What's the Ilikai's secret in attracting Hollywood heavies? Nearly one-third of their rooms have kitchens, and a production office is in place and ready at a moment's notice.
"Helldorado" will star Dwayne Johnson (a k a The Rock), Seann William Scott and Christopher Walken.
Reel News unspools every Wednesday.
Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.