Hawai'i could be the primary backdrop for a 10-part miniseries about World War II in the Pacific being produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, film and military officials here confirmed yesterday.

The project is called "The Pacific" and would be similar to the 2001 HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," said Walea Constantinau, commissioner for the Ho-nolulu Film Office. "Band of Brothers," the story of soldiers fighting across Europe after D-Day, also was produced by Hanks and Spielberg.

The budget for the miniseries has not been announced, but war movies are big-budget productions, Constantinau said. "Band of Brothers" cost $120 million.

"It is going to be a huge project," she said. "War movies tend to be fairly large in scope. It would be a significant project."

No deals have been made and none of the filmmakers have scouted Hawai'i for potential locations, Constantinau said.

Film officials described the negotiations as preliminary and sensitive. But state film commissioner Donne Dawson said filming could begin early next year.

"We are in the running for this production," she said. "It is by no means a done deal."

The producers are reportedly discussing the project with Australian officials, but Hawai'i has a lot to offer, from lush foliage to Ford Island.

And the idea has the backing of a bona fide war hero. U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye supports the project, said Inouye spokeswoman Jennifer Sabas.

Inouye has spoken with Pentagon and U.S. Pacific Command officials about the possibility of filming "The Pacific" in Hawai'i.

"Hawai'i is in the top running to be a location for production and the senator is very, very interested in helping to make that happen," Sabas said.

With its abundance of historic World War II-era military locations, Hawai'i has been a favorite among filmmakers seeking to give their creations authenticity. In 2001, Hawai'i was showcased across the big screen in the war epic "Pearl Harbor."

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jason Salata, a spokesman for Pacific Command, said the Pentagon's entertainment office is working with Hawai'i-based military officials to explore what is possible. At the moment, though, no specific film sites have been requested, he said.

"I am not aware of any specifics they are going to ask for," he said. "They have talked to us because the Department of Defense has a lot of facilities that have a lot of historic context, like Ford Island."

But if the Pentagon approves its participation in the project, Pacific Command would arrange for access to military installations, Salata said.

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.