Written by Shona Smith on Feb 20, 2019. Posted in Production News

Hawaii based Magnum P.I. renewed for second season

CBS’s reboot of Magnum P.I. which shoots in Hawaii is renewed for a second season.

The reboot of popular eighties mystery thriller centres on former Navy SEAL Thomas Magnum, who is played by Jay Hernandez (Suicide Squad, The Expanse). Magnum lives on the fictional Robin’s Nest Estate in Oahu where he works as a security consultant after returning from Afghanistan. The initial series of reboot launched in September 2018 averaging a 6.07 million viewership, placing the show within the broadcasters top ten scripted shows and resulting in a renewal from CBS.

Production for the series takes place all over Hawaii's main island O'ahu, but is based at the Kalaeloa Studio in Kapolei, O'ahu where Marvel’s Inhumans previously filmed.

Elsewhere on the islands, much of the action takes place in Honolulu's suburbs and famous beaches including Waikiki and Maili. The luxurious Robin’s Nest Estate (pictured) where Magnum lives is situated at Kualoa Ranch, which shot to fame with it’s starring role in Jurassic Park. His house is an amalgamation of studio sets and residences found elsewhere on the island.

Set in the same fictional universe as Hawaii Five-0, Magnum P.I. is the second rebooted CBS drama to base production on O'ahu. Now in its ninth season, Hawaii Five-0 is based at the state-owned Hawaii Film Studio in Honolulu. Read our interview with Hawaiian based location manager Kent Matsuoka to find out more about filming on the islands here.

Hawaii has a 20-25% tax credit available to feature films and documentaries, TV series, commercials, music videos short films and gaming production. The 20% credit is afforded to qualified production costs on Oahu, while credit for production on neighbouring islands equals 25%. There is a minimum spend requirement of 200,000 and a financial cap per production of 15,000,000.

Images: CBS