Jonathan King's sci-fi adventure Under The Mountain completed filming in October and is now in post-production for delivery next May. The film is an adaptation of the award-winning Maurice Gee novel of the same name.

Auckland, a city built on a ring of volcanoes, is the incredible natural setting against which a Weta Workshop special effects team led by Academy Award winner Richard Taylor will now weave their magic.Jonathan King's sci-fi adventure Under The Mountain completed filming in October and is now in post-production for delivery next May. The film is an adaptation of the award-winning Maurice Gee novel of the same name.

Auckland, a city built on a ring of volcanoes, is the incredible natural setting against which a Weta Workshop special effects team led by Academy Award winner Richard Taylor will now weave their magic.Weta's Richard Taylor last worked with Jonathan King on the creature effects in his popular comedy-horror Black Sheep, which was sold to more than 70 countries.

"This new project involves animatronics and make-up effects," says Taylor. "It's wonderful to work with Jonathan again as he turns back to the traditional techniques of using puppetry, cable-controlled mechanisms and prosthetic make-up effects - the stuff we love!"

Sam Neill heads the cast of Under The Mountain, with talented newcomers Sophie McBride and Tom Cameron playing teenage twins who battle alien forces hidden beneath the volcanoes. Oliver Driver plays the dark and frightening Mr Wilberforce.

"This is a story of terrifying monsters, an heroic quest with real emotional stakes, but set in the world we live in," says director Jonathan King.

"With The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Narnia taking kids to scary places, we are making a thrilling film that plays to a younger audience but doesn't soft-pedal on the scares."

Disney will be the New Zealand distributor of the new film, which has also been pre-sold for UK release by Contender.

John Sloss of Cinetic Media is handling sales to North America. Kathleen Drumm of NZ Film represents the film for the rest of the world.

Under The Mountain has a script by the director and Matthew Grainger, adapted from the best-selling book by Maurice Gee. Cinematography is by Richard Bluck, editing by Chris Plummer, and the original score by Victoria Kelly will be performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

The film is produced by Richard Fletcher for Liberty Films and Jonathan King and Matthew Grainger for Index Films. Executive producers are Chris Bailey, Chris Hampson and Trevor Haysom.

Investors include the New Zealand Film Commission's Film Fund 2, NZ On Air, Footprint Films, 120 dB Films, Fulcrum Media Finance Ptd Ltd, and TVNZ.

Picture: Jonathan King

New Zealand Film Commission