WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Government will allocate an additional $577 million to New Zealand’s screen production grant in the upcoming Budget, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced on Friday. The funding increase is intended to meet higher-than-expected demand from international film productions.

The screen production grant, which provides a 20% to 25% rebate on qualifying local expenditures by film and television productions, is projected to total $1.09 billion over the four-year forecast period following the top-up. The rebate is not a fixed budget item and requires periodic adjustments in response to production activity levels.

Minister Willis revealed the funding boost during a tour of Stone Street Studios in Miramar, Wellington—a facility known for hosting major productions such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, King Kong, and Avatar. She was joined by WingNut Films CEO Carlos Ramirez Laloli.

According to Willis, inbound productions have invested nearly $7.5 billion in New Zealand over the past decade, supported by $1.5 billion in government rebate payments. Following a 2023 review of the scheme, 10 large-scale international productions have since chosen New Zealand as a filming location. Notable titles include A Minecraft Movie—currently the second-highest grossing film of 2025—and Klara and the Sun, directed by Taika Waititi and based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Despite broader budgetary tightening, the Government has opted to maintain and expand its support for the screen sector, citing the economic return on investment and the global visibility it brings to New Zealand.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nicola-willis-announces-577m-film-investment-at-peter-jacksons-film-studio/JFXITC4UQRBMLJF7S5T33RGQUY/