Gerard Butler's 'Empire City' Thriller to Film in Melbourne, Boosting Local Economy by $35 Million

November 9, 2025
Gerard Butler's 'Empire City' Thriller to Film in Melbourne, Boosting Local Economy by $35 Million
  • Filming for the new Empire City thriller will unfold across Melbourne neighborhoods and Docklands Studios, leveraging Victoria’s deep talent pool and infrastructure to support large-scale production.

  • The movie stars Gerard Butler as Rhett, a firefighter, opposite Hayley Atwell as his police wife Dani in a contemporary kidnap thriller with echoes of Die Hard.

  • VicScreen helped attract the project, noting the broader economic impact of Victoria’s film shoots and its history of successful productions like How to Train Your Dragon.

  • The production benefits from the Victorian Screen Rebate and the Australian Government Location Offset, reinforcing Victoria’s status as a global screen destination.

  • Cast includes Gerard Butler and Hayley Atwell, with a production team featuring Marc Butan, Alan Siegel, and director Michael Matthews; screenplay by Brian Tucker and S. Craig Zahler.

  • Melbourne will host filming for Empire City, a high-energy action thriller set in New York, with production kicking off this month at Docklands Studios Melbourne.

  • Victoria officially announced Empire City, detailing filming across Melbourne and at Docklands Studios Melbourne as part of the project’s rollout.

  • Empire City is expected to create about 350 crew roles and 860 cast/extra positions, engage around 600 local businesses, and contribute more than $35 million to Victoria’s economy.

  • The project continues Victoria’s streak of attracting international productions, following recent shoots like Insidious 6 and The Mongoose.

  • MadRiver Pictures chief executive Marc Butan and director Michael Matthews selected Melbourne for its creative, financial, and logistical fit, including facilities and depth of local talent.

  • The production is backed by the Allan Labor Government and led by local producer Paul Currie, with shoots spanning Melbourne and studio facilities.

  • Victoria’s incentives, including the VicScreen rebate and the federal Location Offset, were pivotal in securing the project.

Summary based on 2 sources


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New York on the Yarra: Gerard Butler thriller to be filmed in Melbourne

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