EXCLUSIVE: In another blow to indie filmmaking and more jobs lost, the Artists Equity production of Unstoppabl, has been halted against the backdrop of the writers strike, we hear.
Logically, these stopped productions will return when the strike ends, at the latest. The news comes in the wake of picketers forcing Unstoppable to shut down on Wednesday, which was lensing at USC in Los Angeles.
Filming on the Jennifer Lopez-Jharrel Jerome wrestling drama had been going on for the past two weeks. Two weeks ago, the Aziz Ansari-directed Keanu Reeves-Seth Rogen Lionsgate feature, Good Fortune, was coerced to suspend production amid the writers strike as picketing heated up at its LA Koreatown location.
Unstoppable is based on the story of Anthony Robles (Jerome), a 3x All-American wrestler born with one leg who prevailed in a national championship at Arizona State. Oscar-winning Argo editor Billy Goldenberg is making his feature directorial debut on Unstoppable, which Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity is financing (that firm co-founded with Red Bird Capital). The pic reps the second feature from Artists Equity following Amazon pivoting the financier producer’s Air from Prime Video to a theatrical release where it grossed over $90M WW.
Reps for Artists Equity did not return request for comment.
Recently we first told you that Marvel Studios delayed the shoot on its Thunderbolts movie due to the WGA Strike. The pic was scheduled to shoot in three weeks in Atlanta.