Memphis lands another Brewer movie

“Black Snake Moan,” starring Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci and Justin Timberlake is putting its soundstage inside The Pyramid, an arena that until last year was the home of the NBA Memphis Grizzlies,

The city and county, which own the arena equally, will allow producers to use The Pyramid for free in August and September, officials said. If The Pyramid is needed after the initial two months, the rental rate will be $1,500 a day.

Two to four sets will be constructed in the arena, including the interior of a house occupied by a Mississippi bluesman played by Jackson.

Ricci will play a nymphomaniac who is chained to a radiator in that house, and Timberlake co-stars as her boyfriend. Timberlake, who performed with ‘N Sync, also is from Memphis.

The Pyramid deal guarantees that “Black Snake Moan” will be shot entirely in the area, despite economic incentives that would have saved the production $875,000 if it had relocated to Georgia, where officials had been trying to recruit Brewer’s film for months.

“To be honest, this is the deal that kept us here,” said Brewer, 33.

The $13 million production is expected to spend about $4.4 million in the area during the shooting. About 350 extras will be hired, along with numerous crew members.

Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton said the glamour of a film production could attract other investors to The Pyramid. Asked about its future as a soundstage, he said: “I would love to see it as Paramount East.”

The Pyramid has been underused since the Grizzlies moved to a new area last season.