Hollywood project Godsend to film in Mongolia end of 2023

Hollywood and Mongolian producers are combining to shoot a Genghis Khan epic Godsend entirely in Mongolia starting in winter 2023.

Godsend is being run by experienced LA based producer Wendy Kram, alongside producers Scott Rosenfelt (Home Alone, Mystic Pizza), JD DeWitt and Jason Mandl.

Jay Liotta is writing the script, which is set in 13th Century Mongolia, and tells the story of a geopolitical conflict where unlikely partnerships bridge cultural, ideological and personal differences.

This is a major coup for Mongolia who will have local investors and talent involved in the project, and comes off the back of the country introducing a potential 45% cash rebate in January this year.

“We are really excited that Godsend will be filming here,” Undral Choimpog, chairperson of the Mongolian National Film Council, told KFTV. “Since announcing the incentive, we have had a lot of interest from international producers, and have a couple of Korean projects set to shoot in Mongolia.”

Mongolia’s new cash rebate offers up to 30% location expense reimbursement if $500,000 is spent. Plus a potential additional 10% cultural incentive for projects that highlight Mongolian culture and heritage, and a further 5% incentive for the salaries of foreign artists who work on a film made in Mongolia.

“The timing for Godsend is excellent, as Mongolia’s parliament recently passed a globally competitive up-to 45% film incentive for films made in Mongolia,” said Liotta. “Old Hollywood had a history of cultural misappropriation and misconceptions. But now, with globalization and greater cultural awareness, we have the opportunity to more accurately represent historical figures. Almost seven decades after The Conqueror, our cross-cultural production aims to update how the world understands the Mongolian people and their rich history.”

Another project set to shoot in Mongolia is the Kevin Spacey drama 1242 - Gateway to the West.