Spielberg will film 'Lincoln' in Richmond, Petersburg

By: Olympia Meola | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: May 04, 2011

Hollywood directing icon Steven Spielberg will film his upcoming historical drama, "Lincoln," in the Richmond and Petersburg area.

Gov. Bob McDonnell today announced that the film, based on the book “Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin, will begin filming in the fall. The movie is slated for release in 2012.

Academy Award-winning actors Daniel Day-Lewis will play Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field will play Mary Todd Lincoln.

The news is a score for McDonnell who has pumped up the state’s film incentive fund. The incentive package includes $1 million from the Governor’s Motion Picture Opportunity Fund, $2.5 million from the Virginia Motion Picture Tax Credit program and $1.1 million in in-kind contributions, according to McDonnell’s office.

The amount of funding awarded to a project is based on Virginia workers hired and the purchase of Virginia based goods and services, according to the governor’s office.

“We are honored that Steven Spielberg, an award-winning and visionary film maker, has chosen the commonwealth for this important film. It is especially notable coming during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and emancipation,” McDonnell said. “Steven is an exceptional storyteller who brings historic themes to life on screen, resulting in such important and influential films as 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Schindler’s List,' 'Munich and the mini-series 'Band of Brothers.' I have no doubt that 'Lincoln' will quickly join the ranks of those famous works.”

Spielberg said, in the news release, that “Virginia’s rich historic legacy, coupled with the remarkable period architecture found in Richmond and Petersburg, make Central Virginia the ideal location for this production.”