Media & Entertainment
Principal photography wraps in Abu Dhabi on original action movie, 6 Underground
The production worked closely with the Abu Dhabi Film Commission which offers a 30% rebate on production spend in Abu Dhabi as well as twofour54
Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment service, and Skydance Media, the global diversified media company that creates premium, event-level entertainment for worldwide audiences, in association with Bay Films, have completed principal photography in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 6 Underground, the action-adventure feature film, directed by Michael Bay and starring Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Lior Raz, Payman Maadi and Dave Franco.
The film is being produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger, along with Bay and Ian Bryce, and is based on an original idea from Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Garrett Grant, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Matthew Cohan executive produce, with JJ Hook, Michael Kase and Marco Valerio Pugini co-producing. The production team also includes director of photography Bojan Bazelli; production designer Jeffrey Beecroft; editors Roger Barton, William Goldenberg, and Calvin Wimmer; stunt coordinators Greg Smrz and Kenny Bates; fight coordinator Andy Cheng; special effects supervisor Terry Glass; visual effects supervisor Richard Hoover; and costume designer Jany Temime.
Filming began in Italy on 20 August, utilizing locations in Florence, Siena, Taranto and Rome before moving to the United Arab Emirates. Production continued in Abu Dhabi on 12 November and moved to sites in Al Ain, Liwa and Ras Al Khaimah before completing principal photography on 5 December, in the Abu Dhabi City Centre.
The production worked closely with the Abu Dhabi Film Commission which offers a 30% rebate on production spend in Abu Dhabi as well as twofour54, which provided full production services, including location assistance, securing permits and suppliers as well as catering, accommodation and travel.
“The UAE, and Abu Dhabi in particular has provided diverse backdrops that have added to the richness of our production,” said director Michael Bay. “I look forward to returning to the UAE in the future to spend time exploring all that the country has to offer.”
“This has been a fast-paced and dynamic production, and Netflix and Skydance have been fantastic partners,” he added. “I couldn’t be more appreciative. I especially want to thank my incredible cast and crew for their hard work and devotion to this project.”
“Making this movie was an experience I will never forget,” says Ryan Reynolds. “I was impressed with the local crew and artisans we’ve met throughout our journey. Together we’ve made an exciting movie with equal parts action and humor that will appeal to a diverse audience.”
H.E. Maryam Eid AlMheiri, CEO of Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi and twofour54, said: “We are honored to be the destination of choice for major film productions, many of whom have traveled thousands of miles to benefit from Abu Dhabi’s striking scenery, pool of talent and welcoming environment.
We strive to provide a seamless experience to movie makers, so they can focus on crafting their unique stories. Assisting Netflix to smoothly film 6 Underground across 24 locations over 27 days is testament to our ability to strategically manage highly complex projects to a tight deadline,” AlMheiri added.
The film is currently in post-production in the United States and is slated for release on Netflix in 2019.
Photo credit: Christian Black/Netflix