Rebel Ridge It became one of the biggest movies on Netflix overnight thanks to strong publicity. Not bad for a movie that was in danger of not being made when it lost its main star, John Boyega shortly after production began. While there were several conflicting reports about the reason for Boyega's departure, the writer and director Jeremy Saulnier He explained how the change that could have killed the film was ultimately “the right situation” for its success.
Rebel Ridge The film follows a former Marine trying to take on small-town corruption and a morally questionable police chief while trying to recover the money he needs to post bail for his imprisoned cousin. The film has been praised for its heightened tension and thoughtful approach to the action genre, which is the director’s sole vision. When Saulnier faced losing his lead actor, he had to find the perfect replacement or he would have cancelled the film. He explained to Vulture:
“When John left the film, it was inevitable and out of respect for all parties involved; I can’t go into the details of it. But all parties agreed that this was the right situation. It had to be this way. And I was willing to risk the film unless I found the one true Terry Richmond. The search was very short, because within weeks, I got on a Zoom call in Louisiana with Aaron Pierre, and I knew in less than two minutes that this was the guy. We had a very deep conversation. We were at the perfect crossroads, his career and my career. It didn’t seem desperate by any means, but I felt like we needed each other at that time. And the way he presented himself, his immediate interest and investment and dedication, was inspiring and immediately recharged me.”
Rebel Ridge director believes fate was partly responsible for the film's production
Even after finding the perfect actor, Saulnier wasn’t safe, and needed to secure Netflix’s support to accommodate the long delay in filming. Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem, and the director believes that a hand of fate was partly responsible for allowing him to make the film he wanted.
“But because of the complexities of the situation, we chose to wait another year, and the reason is that this was a big reset. Everyone needs a little bit of time. Netflix was very supportive of giving Aaron a chance. And no one who saw the movie could imagine a version of this without Aaron Pierre.”
Rebel Ridge The film has wowed critics and audiences alike, and landed at No. 1 on Netflix’s global charts upon its release on Friday. Saulnier’s incredible journey to bring his film to Netflix seems to have accomplished more than anyone could have imagined two years ago. At a time when so many films are a mishmash of test audiences, studio heads, and multiple producers, Rebel Ridge This film is a strong case for a more unique approach to filmmaking.
Rebel Ridge
Now available to stream on Netflix.
