- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
A fire broke out late Wednesday on the Thailand location shoot of The Coup, starring Owen Wilson, Pierce Brosnan and Lake Bell.
The film, from writer-director John Erick Dowdle, is about an American family caught in a political uprising in Southeast Asia. It has been shooting for just over two weeks in Lampang and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
STORY: Leonardo DiCaprio Calls on Thailand to Outlaw Sale of Ivory
Chris Lowenstein, executive director of Thai-based production company Living Films, which is facilitating the production, told THR the fire followed a full day of filming in a set dressed as a government office building, where the husband and wife characters played by Wilson and Bell take refuge to escape a helicopter attack.
Said Lowenstein: “The day’s shooting proceeded uneventfully, with the final shot being the destruction of the office, as it’s supposed to look like it is being hit by a tank shell. The scene involved air mortars with dust, cork and debris, but no explosion, fire or other pyrotechnics. As part of the scene, a false wall we built is partially destroyed and a dummy ceiling beam is supposed to become dislodged and fall. It was shot with multiple cameras. Shortly after 7pm the cameras rolled, the air mortars fired and the wall was destroyed as planned. The director called cut, the assistant director called wrap on the day, the actors exited the set, the director, DP and producers began to view playback and discuss what had been shot and the shooting for the next day, and the crew started to wrap the equipment. Shortly thereafter, a small fire broke out in the ceiling of the set.”
No cast or crew were injured in incident, according to the Living Films team, but some filming equipment was damaged.
STORY: ‘The Coup’ Starring Owen Wilson, Pierce Brosnan Begins Shooting in Thailand
Lowenstein said the local fire department had no trouble handling the conflagration and the production was able to continue shooting Thursday, minus some equipment, after rearranging their schedule.
While the cast had already exited the set at the time of the fire, local Thai sources say Wilson and his personal driver sped off in a BMW just as local photographers and media began to descend on the scene.
The producers say The Coup has 24 more scheduled days of shooting in Northern Thailand and they expect to meet their original timetable.
Bold Films is financing The Coup, with Drew Dowdle, Michel Litvak and David Lancaster producing. Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales.
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day