The EON production of James Bond has created more interest than ever for filming in Iceland. Shooting such an international hit movie here as Die Another Day displays to the rest of the world the potential of Iceland and how easily and inexpensively its off-the-wall landscape and colourful scenery can be “wrapped” with scenes in totally different countries or planets. This is in addition to financial gain from the 12% refund package.

Scenes for a feature-film version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, based on the famous novel by Douglas Adams, will be filmed in Iceland this year. Shooting will take place in either July or August, although the exact location has yet to be decided.  Preparations for this movie have been underway for several years. About one hundred people will be working on the set, about half of whom are expected to be Icelandic, and production costs in this country are estimated to reach at least USD 1 million. The film is scheduled for release in 2005. Garth Jennings will direct the film - his debut movie. He is best known for his musical videos presenting REM, Blur, Fatboy Slim, and Badly Drawn Boy. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will be produced by Nick Goldsmith, in cooperation with Walt Disney Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment. The British actors Bill Nighy and Martin Freeman, from Love Actually, have already signed to take on two of the leading roles.

Scenes for the fifth Batman movie will be filmed in a few weeks' time in the glacial landscape of South-east Iceland, close to the iceberg-filled lagoon of Jökulsárlón, where Die Another Day was also filmed.