Pierce Brosnan film moves to Leeds from Malta to take advantage of studio tax breaks

Filming of a boxing biopic starring Pierce Brosnan is being moved from Malta to the UK to take advantage of tax breaks.

The film, Giant, tells the story of British-Yemeni boxer Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed and his rise to become world champion under the tutelage of his Irish-born boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, played by Brosnan.

The film was originally scheduled to shoot all of its interiors in Malta but the production company, ACG, last month moved filming to Leeds to make use of the Government’s new independent film tax credit.

Under the scheme, announced by Jeremy Hunt in March, English studios receive a 40 per cent tax relief for making films in the country.

It comes as the first images of an unrecognisable Brosnan in character as Ingle have been revealed.

The 007 actor, 70, is almost unrecognisable after swapping his tuxedo and bow tie for a tracksuit.

He also has a thin, wispy new hairstyle and glasses to portray Ingle, a former steelworker turned boxing trainer who discovered Naz – played by Amir El-Masry, 33 – on the streets of Sheffield in the 1980s.

Their unlikely partnership, along with Naz’s unorthodox style, cocky persona and dominance in the ring, propelled them to global superstardom against the backdrop of widespread Islamophobia and racism in 1980s and 1990s Britain.

The film is executive produced by Rocky star Sylvester Stallone and is written and directed by Rowan Athale.

Zygi Kamasa, founder of True Brit Entertainment, the film’s UK distributor, said: “We’re thrilled to be filming in the UK following the new tax credit being introduced to the industry.”

Lucy Frazer, the culture secretary, said: “Our new tax breaks for independent film announced in the Budget are already having a clear impact, attracting a production that would otherwise lose out on everything our creative industries have to offer.

“We introduced more generous tax reliefs to create the right environment for indies to thrive.”

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