Caymanian filmmaker Frank E. Flowers has begun production on ‘The Bluff’, starring Indian-American actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and New Zealand actor Karl Urban.
The movie comes on the heels of the 2024 musical biopic ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ which Flowers co-wrote and has earned almost US$180 million globally.
‘The Bluff’ – which Flowers is directing, in addition to co-writing the screenplay with the film’s executive producer Joe Ballarini – is set in the Caribbean in the 19th century and follows the story of a former pirate, played by Chopra Jonas, who must protect her family when the sins of her past catch up to her.
‘Pure vibes’
In comments sent to the Compass about the project, Flowers said, “God is good and I feel incredibly blessed to embark on this journey surrounded by some of the best creatives in the film industry.
“To see this visceral world and nuanced characters coming to life is the stuff of dreams. Infusing modern action sequences with authentic Caymanian heritage lends itself to a very unique tapestry.”
Flowers said the goal was to film a pirate story in a way that audiences “have never seen”.
“Every day our team keeps pushing the boundaries and the results have exceeded my wildest expectations. The Bluff set is pure vibes.”
The movie, from Amazon MGM Studios and AGBO, the Russo brothers’ production company, is being filmed in the Gold Coast in Queensland, known for its subtropical climate and sandy beaches. The film is secured through the Queensland Government’s Production Attraction Strategy by Screen Queensland.
According to a Screen Queensland press release, “The production will see sunshine state locations doubling for the Cayman Islands.
“The production will also utilise Village Roadshow Studios’ facilities including water tanks, which are the largest in Australia.”
Queensland’s Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch noted the film will pump some “42.3 million dollars to their local economy through production expenditure, as well as creating jobs for about 600 talented Queensland screen practitioners.”
Chopra Jonas offered glimpses of the production on her social media last month, posting photos and videos from on the set, and of family moments, cast and crew, and meeting fans. In one video, she said, “Yeah, when you do action movies, it’s really glamorous. Yeah, another day in the office.”
Commenting on a photo she posted of herself covered in blood, the actress wrote, “PS: for those who can’t tell. We use fake blood for movies. It’s make up. Thank you.”
While no completion date has been set, according to the release “the film will be available to stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide”.
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