Lights, camera, Huntly as the town turns into Hollywood

Wednesday, 29 April 2026

Filming in Huntly on Tuesday for what appeared to be a second Minecraft film.

It was lights, camera, action in Huntly this week as filming linked to the Minecraft movie returned to Great South Rd.

The Waikato town is once again doubling as the fictional Chuglass, Idaho — the setting used in A Minecraft Movie, released last year and based on the best-selling video game of all time.

And some of Hollywood’s biggest heavyweights are suspected to be elsewhere in Waikato, reprising the Lord of the Rings locations that put the region on the film map.

The sign that reads ‘Chuglass, Idaho. Home of Steves Lava Chicken.’

Road closures between Bell Crossing and Fletcher St made way for the Minecraft shoot. A sign read: “Chuglass, Idaho. Home of Steve’s Lava Chicken.”

Locals gathered nearby, hoping to catch a glimpse of stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa. It’s unclear if they are involved in the Huntly filming.

Calls of “rolling” echoed down the street as filming began. A camper labelled “Steve’s Lava Chicken”, complete with a chicken mounted on top, was driven into position.

A camper with the words, ‘Steve’s Lava Chicken’ with a chicken on top.

A red Dodge Ram pickup truck repeatedly travelled up and down the road. The action was captured by a boom camera.

Peter Shoemark watched from the back of his house, despite not being a movie fan.

“My missus watched bits of it, he said of the Minecraft movie’s first iteration, ”but she never watched the whole thing.”

A big red Dodge Ram truck was filmed driving along Huntly’s Great South Rd.

Further along, Katrina Tumohe and her brother David Ireland parked near Kimihia Rd. They hoped to catch a glimpse of the action.

Their plans were cut short by a security guard, who asked them, along with the Waikato Times, to move on.

“I think it’s cool that they come here to do something like that because I think every town has some hidden gems,” Tumohe said.

Huntly resident Katrina Tumohi thought it was cool that Minecraft was filmed in the town.

She said the filming could help change perceptions of Huntly as many people did not realise Minecraft had been shot in the area.

“It was all from word of mouth, other people like, not so much from them, promoting that.”

Tumohe said towns like Huntly deserved more recognition.

“We could do with a bit of good credit because people say Huntly is the the biggest hole, but we say, hey, it might be a hole to you, but it's home to us.“

Meanwhile, it is possible some Hollywood superstars may soon - if they are not already - be lurking around the Cambridge area, as production of the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum gets under way.

Unconfirmed reports have hinted that crews involved in making the film have been seen in the town's accommodation and drinking establishments.

The film, which is a prequel to the main Lord of the Rings movies of the early 2000s, is directed by Andy Serkis, who also stars as the titular ring-coveter.

Elijah Wood and Sir Ian McKellen reprise their roles as Frodo and Gandalf respectively, and Lee Pace also returns to the franchise as the elf Thranduil, last seen in The Hobbit prequels.

Jamie Dornan (Guardians of the Galaxy, Fifty Shades of Grey) steps into Viggo Mortensen's shoes as Strider, and Titanic star Kate Winslet will play a new character called Marigol.