‘Magnum P.I.’ movie
to be shot in HawaiiThe producer plans for Oahu
locations and actors, but the star
remains in doubt
Hawaii and "Magnum, P.I." are so inseparable that Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer says he has no intention of filming the movie version of the popular 1980s television show anyplace but here.
Grazer said his Imagine Entertainment Co. plans to shoot the entire "Magnum, P.I." movie here with an "all Hawaii" crew, which could be as many as 90 people. The work would include four months of preproduction preparation to begin as early as April followed by three months of filming which Grazer said would include "a lot of water adventures."
"I'm making the same commitment to the 'Magnum, P.I.' film as I did to 'Blue Crush,'" said Grazer, who produced the surfing film. "It's about Hawaii with Hawaii people."
Mike McCullers, screenwriter for the movie "Magnum, P.I," recently visited Oahu and was escorted by waterman Brian Keaulana, head of water safety on "Blue Crush." The pair visited the west side where McCullers swam with dolphins and later rented a red Ferrari -- like the one the television show lead character Thomas Magnum drove -- to see what it felt like to be Magnum, Grazer said.
The producer would neither confirm nor deny whether George Clooney will be cast as Thomas Magnum. He also wouldn't say if the TV show's star, Tom Selleck, would be cast in a cameo, lead or at all.
"George is really, really good and he may or may not" be the film's star, Grazer said.
Sources in Hollywood say Grazer and company are floating the idea of having Selleck play the main character.
"I like Tom a lot but we really aren't in that decision process yet," Grazer said.
Grazer, who won an Academy Award for producing "A Beautiful Mind," has had a successful career based on instinct, making big bucks on diverse and offbeat films, including "Night Shift," "Splash," and "8 Mile," starring rap singer Eminem. A "Magnum, P.I." falls into the same category, he said.
"I believe it will do well for many reasons" at the box office, Grazer said. "I'm doing this film because I believe in it."
Thomas Magnum is "a great character, a cultural icon," Grazer said.
"All the characters were very real in part because they all had one thing in common: the Vietnam War," he said. "It was an integral part of the show and in most ways kept the basic story alive and fresh."
The producer also said Hawaii is a major character in films because "everyone knows about Hawaii, wants to go to Hawaii, touch Hawaii," he said.
"I believe that Hawaii is underutilized" as a film location, Grazer said. "I'm certainly trying to change that."
Grazer, who will spend much of the time in Hawaii during the filming, declined to discuss the story line, budget or whom he's considering as director.
"Remember that this is 'a mainstream studio picture' " which, according to Variety, average in the high $50 million range. The final figure is expected to be much higher if there is an abundance of water stunts, which add to the expense.
As for the story, Hollywood sources said the first draft of the film has the story beginning like the series' pilot episode, showing Magnum working for estate owner Robin Masters and with estate caretaker Higgins. Another version had Magnum on a mission in Taiwan before he returns to Hawaii.
Don Bellasario, co-creator of "Magnum, P.I.," is executive producer of the film.
Hawaii Film Office manager Donne Dawson said the state is "eagerly looking forward" to working again with Grazer.
"We're confident that he is able to bring back to our shores the legacy and popularity of 'Magnum, P.I.'"