Liam Neeson's The Minuteman to film in New Mexico

Director Robert Lorenz’s action film The Minuteman, starring Liam Neeson, is set to begin principle photography in New Mexico this month.

The project will be spread all across the state, shooting in To’Hajilee, Jemez Pueblo, Belen, Albuquerque and Rio Rancho.

“This is another example of how productions are going to all parts of the state to find locations that fit their story,” said Alicia J. Keyes, Cabinet Secretary of Economic Development at State of New Mexico. “We are pleased that Minuteman has discovered the tribal and rural communities that make New Mexico unique.”

The film is about a rancher on the Arizona border who becomes the unlikely defender of a young Mexican boy desperately fleeing the cartel assassins who have pursued him into the United States.

Long time Clint Eastwood producing partner, Lorenz, is directing with Warren Goz, Eric Gold, Tai Duncan and Mark Williams as producers. Liam Neeson is joined in the cast by Katherine Winnick, Jacob Perez and Juan Pablo Raba.

“The production will employ 90 New Mexico crew members, 15 New Mexico actors, and 150 New Mexico background talent,” confirmed the New Mexico Film Office.

New Mexico is proving an extremely attractive shooting location, partly thanks to its rebates of up to 35%, currently playing host to Josh Greenbaum’s Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar, starring Kristen Wiig, Marco Perego-Saldana’s Keyhole Garden, starring Zoe Saldana, and Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead.

The New Mexico government has, however, announced that it will attempt to streamline the way it verifies in-state spending by film production companies as it prepares to provide as much as $165m a year in rebates.