Ben Stiller snubs Montreal, insists on filming in Vancouver

CanWest News Service
Friday, November 04, 2005

The shooting of a big-budget film has been moved from Montreal to Vancouver because of a demand from its star, according to a Quebec union. The filmmakers of A Night at the Museum had already opened a production office at Mel's Cité du Cinema studios in Montreal and had begun extensive construction of elaborate sets for the film.

But when 20th Century Fox, the studio producing the film, signed Ben Stiller, the star insisted it be written into the deal that the film be shot in Vancouver, said Montreal film commissioner Daniel Bissonnette and Brian Baker from the Quebec film technicians union.

Fox would not comment. No one was able to explain why Mr. Stiller chose Vancouver over Montreal.