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Netflix’s Triple Frontier Finally Starts Shooting This Summer
Another movie escapes development hell as Netflix’s crime thriller Triple Frontier is reportedly due to start filming in a few months. The production has slipped through many fingers over the years, and been attached to high-profile names like Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow. But the current version, which is written and directed by J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year), is heading for Hawaii and expected to have plenty of star-power involved in the shoot.
The film has had a hugely difficult journey to the screen. It first attracted attention when it was announced as a vehicle for Hanks back in 2010, with Bigelow and her Hurt Locker writer Mark Boal attached to the film. Although both star and director eventually dropped out, Paramount continued to plug away with the project for years, until Johnny Depp was tapped to star in 2016. Although Depp never took the lead role, it was also the first time that director Chandor came onboard, and has remained attached ever since. This led to Tom Hardy and Channing Tatum signing on for lead roles, but then sensationally dropping out after alleged issues with re-writes of the original script. Netflix then took over from Paramount, with Affleck showing interest before he too dropped out in July of last year. The last update was in the same month when Mark Wahlberg was said to be in negotiations for the lead.
But at long last it looks like Triple Frontier is finally going to start shooting. According to Omega Underground, the principal photography is due to start on May 15th, with the final shot taking place on September 30th. The location will be in Hawaii on the north island of Oahu. It’s a popular location for big-budget movies, with other actioners like the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Godzilla having also shot there.
The involvement of Wahlberg is still to be officially confirmed though. The last production update stated that the intended cast also included Pedro Pascal (Narcos), Garrett Hedlund (Mudbound), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), and Adria Arjona (Pacific Rim Uprising). If this is still the case, it’s certainly a strong line-up for a movie of this type. The actual tone and content of the story is also something of a mystery. It’s known to center on the border between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, which explains the title. The early draft from Boal was reportedly phenomenal and concentrated on the actions of a ruthless drug cartel. The script has since gone through several re-writes and is believed to be more action-orientated now.
The most recent original movies from Netflix, such as Bright and Mute, have received a mauling from the critics. But a straightforward action thriller with a solid cast, could be prone to more favorable reactions if it’s done well. Chandor’s previous films (Margin Call, All is Lost) should point to something that will translate well to the screen, even with the disastrous history that road-blocked this movie several times. No screening date has yet been announced, but it’s expected to be sometime in 2019.
