Hampton Roads is site of some key scenes in Captain Phillips

When the movie “Captain Phillips” opens in theatres nationwide on October 11, Virginians can be on the lookout for scenes filmed in Hampton Roads.

The film stars actor Tom Hanks as Capt. Richard Phillips and is an examination of the true story of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates.

It’s based on the book,  “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea,” by Richard Phillips with Stephen Talty.

The movie was filmed in several locations throughout the world including Malta, Morocco and Massachusetts. The portions of the film shot in Virginia occurred on and offshore aboard a U.S. Navy ship and involved the part of the film that portrays the involvement of the Navy SEALs in the story.

Virginia Film Office Director Andy Edmunds said in a statement,  “Superb cooperation from the United States Navy and the city of Virginia Beach, along with financial incentive support from the commonwealth, brought this important film to Virginia.”
 

The Governor’s Motion Picture Opportunity Fund awarded “Captain Phillips” a $300,000 grant. The project spent $2.6 million in the state for a total economic impact of $4.6 million, according to the film office. 

In 2011, the total economic impact of the film and television industry in Virginia was $394.4 million, a 14.5 percent increase over 2010.