Last week, we learned from a reputable production source that Fox’s Fantastic Voyage remake could begin filming as early as January and is expected to be shot in Toronto.
After posting our article on the production status, we spotted a Toronto Star article from June that states Pinewood Toronto Studios was a “lock” for Fantastic Voyage, but they didn’t mention when.
Much of that confidence is because of purpose-built space such as Pinewood Studios, which allow the kind of high-priced, special effects-laden productions that have become increasingly popular to film in Toronto.
And make no mistake, size matters: Few North American studios have the scale of facilities to film a feature as ambitious as Fantastic Voyage, about a nuclear sub that is shrunk to atomic size and injected into a human body. Moreover, it is to be directed and produced by two of the most demanding giants in the genre world: del Toro (Pacific Rim) and Cameron (Avatar).
Romano refused to confirm whether Fantastic Voyage, based on a remake of the classic 1966 science-fiction movie, would be filmed at Pinewood, but several sources contacted by the Star say it is a lock.
It wasn’t entirely clear if Guillermo del Toro was still directing. Even though, del Toro has shot his last three films in Toronto and sounded like a good chance he was still involved.
The director has taken to Twitter to update us, stating the film is “not green lit” while also not denying his current involvement.
Not green lit– https://t.co/ON5xIxNELc
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) August 22, 2017
Better catch some sleep. Big day tomorrow. I currently don’t know what my next movie will be 100% but some good stuff is in the horizon…
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) August 23, 2017
This isn’t terribly uncommon if a final script and or budget hasn’t been agreed upon by the studio. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t considering a January start and it’s possible our tip-off might have been given to us before the studio has made a final decision. But these tweets give us the impression he’s still involved and that some official news could be coming soon.
Guillmero also retweeted this screening announcement for Pacific Rim in Toronto which he’ll be attending.
TORONTO! Tomorrow night we’re screening PACIFIC RIM at @HarbourfrontTO. For free. @RealGDT is welcome to drop by. https://t.co/Wr1aueufj5 pic.twitter.com/aRxMfRvHcx
— Norm Wilner (@normwilner) August 22, 2017
SOURCE: GUILLERMO DEL TORO