By Rod McGurk
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) --The latest movies in the "Thor" and "Alien" franchises will begin filming in Australia next year, the government said Thursday.
The government gave Twentieth Century Fox as well as Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel Studios a total of 47.25 million Australian dollars ($34 million) to woo them to Australia to make the feature films, Arts Minister Mitch Fifield said.
Ridley Scott will direct the unnamed Alien movie for Fox and Australian actor Chris Hemsworth will reprise his starring role as the superhero in the third instalment of the "Thor" series for Disney and Marvel, "Thor: Ragnarok."
While locations have not been announced, Disney recently finished shooting "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" at Gold Coast studios in Queensland state and Fox has studios in Sydney.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop defended the government spending to secure the movies, saying Australia was competing against other countries to attract movie makers.
She said her government had wanted the Scott-directed Fox hit film "The Martian" shot in Australia instead of Hungary.
Mary Ann Hughes, Disney Vice President of Film and Television, described shooting of the fifth instalment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise as a "wonderful experience."
Shooting had several setbacks and controversies. Star Johnny Depp's wife, Amber Heard, was charged with illegally bringing the couple's dogs into Australia against quarantine regulations. She could face up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines if convicted.
Hughes joked at a news conference that: "Since our lovely Chris Hemsworth lives in Australia, I suspect we won't have any issues with pets."
Hemsworth said in a video from Los Angeles that he was looking forward to working again in his home country.
"I look forward to introducing my Marvel friends to this beautiful country of ours," he said.
Civil rights groups call on major corporations to stick with DEI programs
A broad group of civil rights organizations called on the CEOs and board members of major companies Thursday to maintain their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack online and in lawsuits.
An open letter signed by 19 organizations and directed at the leaders of Fortune 1000 companies said companies that abandon their DEI programs are shirking their fiduciary responsibility to employees, consumers and shareholders.
The civil rights groups included the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, policies, and practices make business-sense and they're broadly popular among the public, consumers, and employees," their statement read. "But a small, well-funded, and extreme group of right-wing activists is attempting to pressure companies into abandoning their DEI programs."
Companies such as Ford, Lowes, John Deere, Molson Coors and Harley-Davidson recently announced they would pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion policies after facing pressure from conservative activists who were emboldened by recent victories in the courtroom.
Many major corporations have been examining their diversity programs in the wake of a Supreme Court decision last year that declared race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions unconstitutional. Dozens of cases have been filed making similar arguments about employers. Critics of DEI programs say the initiatives provide benefits to people of one race or sexual orientation while excluding others.
In their letter, the civil rights organizations, which also included... Read More