Says Whitaker:
"This is a story about how magic can enter one's life and change the way they see the world. And I think David Lowery is the perfect director to bring this project to life."
The production begins shooting in and around Wellington before moving north to the Rotorua area, and will complete principal photography in the South Island communities of Tapanui and Invercargill. Film New Zealand, the country's national film office and sister agency Film Wellington assisted the Walt Disney Studios in assessing and confirming New Zealand for the production.