How do you bring new life to a casino that got shuttered thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic? Well, one solution is to film a post-apocalyptic martial arts movie in the abandoned building.
Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, is getting ready to do exactly that in the old Terrible’s Casino in Jean, NV. Known for horror franchises like Paranormal Activity, Insidious and The Purge, Blum may prove to be anything but horrific for Southern Nevada.
His new movie, called Battle of Absolute Dominion, has a budget of just under $13 million and is expected to bring more than 620 temporary production jobs to the area.
The Fictional Story
The movie takes place a little over 60 years in the future, in the year 2085. The plot revolves around a world torn apart and largely destroyed by religious terrorism. The solution, voted in by the United Nations, is to have one member of each faith battle it out in a giant martial arts tournament.
The last religion standing is left to rule the planet, with all survivors required to practice that belief system. So if the Catholic fighter wins, the world becomes Catholic, and if the Buddhist fighter wins, the world become Buddhist. And so on.
The story concept definitely touches on many nerves in today’s divisive society. And that’s why it’s likely to be a hit.
The Factual Story
Arguably more important than the story behind the film is what it will do for the local economy. And the new life it will bring to a forgotten hot spot, and the area surrounding it.
The Nevada Film Office offers tax incentives to filmmakers, and that’s one of the biggest reasons the producers chose to shoot exclusively in the Silver State. The other is that, as we learned from Mad Max, desert settings just scream “post-apocalypse”.
In partnership with Netflix, the movie intends to hire 500 extras alone, who will each make up to $42 per hour. Then there’s the over $4 million in goods and services contracted from Nevada vendors. All told, the production will inject close to 10 million dollars into the local economy.
But that’s just up front. With future promotional considerations, the actual benefit is unlimited, because the film will promote tourism to Nevada for years to come as it highlights the Clark County area.
Ready For Our Close-Up
Movies based in Las Vegas are nothing new. Viva Las Vegas, Honeymoon in Vegas, Leaving Las Vegas, What Happens in Vegas, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Last Vegas, Vegas Vacation … Casino, The Hangover, Ocean’s Eleven, 21 … there’s a million examples of movies shot or set in Vegas.
That’s because Las Vegas represents the good, the bad and the ugly in life (but The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was not shot or set in Las Vegas). The point is, from the struggling to the victorious, and from the basic to the world class, you can find it in Las Vegas.
And that’s why we’ll continue to be ready for our close-up, in a million more movies, from here to eternity (no, From Here to Eternity wasn’t shot or set in Las Vegas either — but that doesn’t diminish the sentiment).
For example, do you want to go hiking, rock climbing or white-water rafting? Do you want to dine at the best restaurants in the world or shop at the highest-end designer boutiques? All of that is in or around the Las Vegas Valley.
What about owning a beautiful and spacious single-family home with a pool and palm trees, or a gorgeous high-rise condo with all the amenities at your fingertips? Those can be yours in Las Vegas too.
For help finding your ideal dream home in paradise, look no further than community expert Dulcie Crawford. Dulcie is a native of Las Vegas with over 23 years of local real estate expertise. She understands the city and its trends and opportunities more than anyone, and can help you pinpoint and locate the perfect home for you.
To find out more about working with Dulcie and her award-winning team, or to get more information about the current housing market conditions, properties featured on this blog, or our Hot Market Listings, please contact Dulcie Crawford directly at (702) 505-2775.
