Future Looks Bright As Deadpool Delivers $40 Million To B.C. Economy
According to the Motion Picture Association of Canada, one very bad superhero has really good news for B.C.
Even before homeboy Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool started breaking box office records, it injected $40 million into the province’s economy. Filmed in just under 60 days in multiple locations and employing over 2000 locals, the R-rated Marvel fan favourite spent:
- $19 million on wages
- $1 million on location costs
- $735,000 on construction
- $780,000 on transportation
- $815,000 on hotels, restaurants and catering
- $400,000 on wardrobe
“I have seen firsthand the enormous positive impact that productions like Deadpool have on our city,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson to Vancity Buzz. “Film and television production continues to be a billion dollar industry here, and it is a growing contributor to Vancouver’s nation-leading economic growth.”
In a news release on February 12, MPAC president Wendy Noss noted that these figures “demonstrate just how many local workers, jobs, and businesses benefit from a single production, and why the [film and TV] industry is such a critical part of B.C.’s growing creative economy.”
2015 reaffirmed Vancouver’s place as North America’s third largest movie-making hotspot with a record-breaking 353 productions shot over a total of 1,518 days (up from 235 in 2014). Of these, 26 were feature films (10 more than in 2014) and together, they provided $143 million in wages to local workers.
“Vancouver is home to world-leading talent in the film industry,” added Robertson, “and the City is committed to supporting all levels and aspects of production.”
This includes the city’s far-ranging digital media industry, according to Vancouver Economic Commission CEO Ian McKay.
“Vancouver is projected to lead the country in economic growth for another five years, and high-growth, knowledge-based industries like DE&I are a critical part of that success. We will continue to reach out to DE&I companies in Hollywood, London, Europe and China to promote Vancouver as the top destination for servicing the global industry and creating innovative IP.”
