George Clooney to film next movie in St. Louis

George Clooney is coming to St. Louis to film his next movie.

The work begins in January when the crew will scout locations, begin building sets and do the hiring. Producers might need as many as 2,000 extras for the film.

It’s called “Up in the Air,” and stars Clooney along with actress Vera Farmiga.

Gary Hansen heads up the studio mechanics Local 493.

“‘Up in the Air’ is a really big deal for us coming to St. Louis,” Hansen says. “It’s a large movie. It’s going to be a lot of employment for the members of 493.”

Local film crews are ecstatic. This is a big budget film, by “Juno” director Jason Reitman. Production crews will set up shop on January 5 and they could be working here up to five months.

“It will make our year in an economy that’s awfully sluggish and a lot of the commercials that we normally live off of aren’t supporting our families,” Hansen says.

They’re not alone. Hotels, restaurants, and local businesses also stand to benefit.

“A movie like this, probably the economic impact could be as high as $50 million,” says J. Kim Tucci, St. Louis Film Office.

Some filming will also be done in Miami and Las Vegas, but the bulk of shooting will be here and that will likely mean plenty of jobs, money and George Clooney sightings around St. Louis.

“I’m sure after your show after you put this on the air, people are going to be lining up outside figuring out how they meet George Clooney,” Tucci says.

No answer to that yet, but Lambert Airport’s closed D Concourse is one likely location for filming. The movie follows Clooney’s character, a guy who lays people off for a living, on his mission to collect a million frequent flyer miles.

“It’s going to be all over the city. They’re going to have 85 different sets to dress in 50 days,” says Hansen.

And local film crews say if all goes well with this movie, this could be St. Louis’s big break. Apparently some last minute wrangling to get tax credits from the state, helped seal the deal.

Incidentally, this will be the third movie shot at Lambert in three years. A film called “The Lucky Ones” was shot in the summer of 2007. And in May they filmed “The Informant” there with Matt Damon.

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George Clooney will star in “Up in the Air,” along with actress Vera Farmiga, according to KSDK-TV. Oscar-nominated “Juno” director Jason Reitman is in charge of the big-budget film, writing and directing it. Production crews will set up on Jan. 5 and could be working in the Gateway City for up to five months.

Clooney will play a constantly traveling, unapologetic corporate downsizer. Variety reports that as the Clooney character’s life falls apart, he is on a mission to collect 1 million frequent flyer miles. The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Walter Kirn.

J. Kim Tucci of the St. Louis Film Office estimates the movie could have an economic impact of up to $50 million for the region.

Some filming will also be done in Miami and Las Vegas, but the bulk of shooting will be in St. Louis. Initial work will involve scouting locations, building sets and hiring extras — producers might need as many as 2,000 extras. Hotels, restaurants and other businesses stand to benefit.

“‘Up in the Air’ is a really big deal for us coming to St. Louis,” union leader Gary Hansen said. “It’s a large movie. It’s going to be a lot of employment for the members of 493.”

He added: “It will make our year in an economy that’s awfully sluggish and a lot of the commercials that we normally live off of aren’t supporting our families.”

Filming is expected to take place throughout the city. Hansen said the movie plans 85 different sets.

Part of the movie may be filmed at the closed Class D concourse at Lambert Airport. It would be the third film shot there since last year. “The Lucky Ones” included scenes at Lambert in 2007. And in May, the Matt Damon movie “The Informant” included scenes shot at the airport.

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