Hollywood star, Gerard Butler, is saying goodbye to Tenerife after spending 11 weeks on the island filming his new movie ‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’, which is due for release next year. The length of his stay marks the longest in history that filmmakers have spent here on a major Hollywood blockbuster.
Filming ended this morning with a car chase filmed in and around Plaza Weyler in Santa Cruz, where roads were closed from 8pm last night until 7am this morning. The economic impact of this production is expected to far exceed the six million euros that Rambo V generated after just five weeks of filming spread between the capital and other locations.
In Den of Thieves 2 case, filming has taken place almost entirely in Santa Cruz, and almost all districts of the city have been used as locations for the film. Butler himself has been seen enjoying the island and leading a normal life like any other resident.
He has visited restaurants across the island, some of them more than once, and had a chance to go to see CD Tenerife play at the Heliodoro Stadium, where he was presented with his very own football shirt by the club's president.
All of the Canary Islands have seen an upturn in film and TV production, mainly due to the low corporation tax due to the ZEC, but also due to facilities and stunning locations on offer.
The commercial sector has been pleased with this latest production and with those who have worked on it. The filmmakers have stayed in Santa Cruz and have actively contributed to the local economy, with a team of more than 250 people involved in the project.
Most of the 140 vehicles, including cars, vans, and trucks, used by the team on the island have been rented, although some had to be brought from mainland Spain as they weren’t available here.
Overall, a great success, let’s hope the movie is as good as we all hope it will be!
