Creative Saskatchewan and the Government of Saskatchewan have teamed up to announce that a major television production will be coming to the province.
King of Killers: the series is set to begin filming this fall and will be the first major project to receive funding approval since the Government of Saskatchewan increased investment in film and television incentives in the 2022-23 budget.
The action thriller series will be shot entirely in Saskatchewan starting in September, with an estimated spend of over $20,000,000 on local labour, goods, and services. The series, based on the upcoming feature film of the same name to be released in 2023, tells the story of a group of international assassins contracted to take out the most dangerous killer in the world.
It will utilize the John Hopkins Regina Soundstage for at least one year, estimating 90 production days and 120 post-production days in Saskatchewan. That translates to more than $5M in Saskatchewan labour expenditures.
Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said this is good news for the entertainment industry and the whole province.
“Saskatchewan has the talent and skills that the world needs right now to meet the global demand for content, and this exciting news demonstrates our ability to attract large-scale productions,” she said. “The positive benefits of projects this size are numerous and far-reaching. Industries such as retail, hospitality and the trades will get a boost, and job opportunities for local designers, costumers, performers, and writers will strengthen Saskatchewan’s creative sector.”
Erin Dean, the CEO of Creative Saskatchewan, said they are excited for the production to start.
“A production of this size announces to the world that Saskatchewan is open for business,” she said. “This kind of activity raises the profile of our film and television production industry, which will go a long way in attracting future projects.”
Anand Ramayya, Producer with Saskatchewan-based Karma Film Inc, said that they anticipate hiring over 100 crew members and 18 performers from Saskatchewan.
King of Killers: the series also utilizes cutting-edge technology with a massive, custom-built LED wall; a large screen that displays digital content for an impressive virtual environment for production.
The wall alone will provide new, full-time employment opportunities for up to 20 people to operate and maintain. The producers intend to make the virtual wall available for rent by other production companies.
