Jurassic perk: Primeval to film here
As the filming of top TV show The Tudors draws to a close at Ardmore studios, Co Wicklow, this week, an ITV science-fiction programme Primeval has confirmed it will begin filming here next year.
The series, which will shoot on location in Dublin and Wicklow, has a budget of €15 million and is expected to create more than 70 jobs.
Work will start on the production in January 2010 with filming beginning in March and the show is expected to film here over a period of nine months to complete the 13 new episodes.
Described as a “rip-roaring, special effects-laden thriller in which the past, the present and the future collide” Primeval has sold to 45 countries worldwide, and the series is more popular in South Korea than the US series Lost.
It follows five scientists tasked with investigating the appearance of prehistoric and futuristic creatures across Britain.
The first three series of the show were filmed in Surrey, but the decision to move the series to Ireland was based on the fact that Ireland provided a cost-effective alternative, as well a fresh look, drawing on new film locations.
Primeval producer Tim Bradley said the opportunity to shoot in such a diverse landscape was a major draw.
“The crop of fabulous urban and rural locations such as castles, sea and coast, the historical Dublin quarter and the unique Irish countryside, coupled with drawing on the huge experience of Irish crew and cast alike makes the prospect of filming in Ireland a fantastic opportunity for us over the next 18 months,” he said.
