Principal photography is underway on the Fox 2000 Pictures drama, “Water for Elephants,” starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz, and some of the scenes will be shot in Chattanooga.
Missy Crutchfield, administrator of the city's Arts, Education and Culture department, said, “The Chattanooga Southeast Tennessee Film Commission has been working with the production for over a month, while they have been here scouting locations and setting up offices, as they were preparing to film here.”
There was no word on whether the film's top stars would be coming to Chattanooga for the filming.
Directed by Francis Lawrence and based upon the best-selling novel by Sara Gruen, “Water for Elephants” has been adapted for the screen by Richard LaGravenese. Erwin Stoff, Gil Netter and Andrew Tennenbaum are producing with Kevin Halloran serving as executive producer.
During the Great Depression, Jacob (Robert Pattinson), a penniless and recently-orphaned veterinary school student, parlays his expertise with animals into a job with a second-rate traveling circus. He falls in love with Marlena (Witherspoon), one of the show's star performers, but their romance is complicated by Marlena's husband, the charismatic but unbalanced circus boss August (Waltz).
Reese Witherspoon, who won an Academy Award for her role as June Carter Cash in “Walk the Line,” has also starred in such blockbuster films as “Legally Blonde” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Achieving a cult-like following from his character, Edward Cullen, in the “Twilight” films, Robert Pattinson also portrayed Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”
Christoph Waltz gained worldwide attention when he won an Academy Award in 2010 for “Inglourious Basterds.” He also won a BAFTA, Golden Globe, Critic’s Choice and SAG Award for the same role.
Director Francis Lawrence’s previous directorial efforts include “I Am Legend” and “Constantine.”
20th Century Fox releases “Water For Elephants” next year.