Variety is reporting that the James Cameron produced underwater drama, Sanctum, has found $30 million of funding and can now go ahead with filming. The film is described as being a fictional drama, based on the true story ofAndrew Wight, who led an expedition of 15 divers into a remote underwater cave system under Australia’s Nullarbor Plain. However a storm freak storm collapsed the cave entrace, which led to a two-day battle to survive in the treacherous underground environment.
In the film a father and son team lead an expedition which gets trapped under similar circumstances (we’re assuming it’s been ficitonalised as in reality everyone survived, but that’s not dramatic enough for Hollywood). Sanctum if due to be filmed in 3D, using the cameras developed for James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar.
Sanctum has actually been in the works for a while. It was originally being developed by Rogue Pictures, but came unstuck when that production unit was sold to Relativity Media. It’s now found a new home with Wayfare Entertainment providing the funding. James Cameron will executive produce the drama, with Alister Grierson (Kokoda) directing.
The whole thing is a bit of a case of ‘who you know’, as Wight has co-written the script based on his cave experience, and he’s previously worked with Cameron on his underwater IMAX documentaries, Aliens Of The Deep and Ghosts Of The Abyss. It certainly must make life easier getting your movie made if you can just phone James Cameron up and ask him to help.