As far as the hype around a Netflix original goes, Rebel Ridge has certainly become highly-anticipated content for the streaming platform. Director Jeremy Saulnier has already proven his merit with fan-favorite action thrillers like Green Room and Blue Ruin, but his latest is getting a lot of attention. Early online buzz already had many critics calling the movie an instant best of the year in the action genre, with online comments such as “an absolute powerhouse of muscular filmmaking” and praise for the performances, including “Aaron Pierre is a major star in the making.”
However, Rebel Ridge has been a long time in the making. The production was plagued with so many issues that it resulted in notable changes and an unexpected five years of work.
The Chaotic Production of Rebel Ridge
Most movie fans got their first look at something going wrong behind the scenes with the announcement that John Boyega had exited the lead role, leaving fans with plenty of questions about why. This issue was made more clear later despite initial rumors, and from what critics have been saying, Aaron Pierre’s taking Boyega’s place ended up being the ideal choice for Rebel Ridge.
When taking a break in June 2021 to regroup after the actors exit, his partner had just watched Barry Jenkins’ miniseries, The Underground Railroad, and threw out Aaron Pierre as a potential replacement. The English actor was also coming off of the role of “Mid-Sized Sedan” in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old, which worked perfectly for the timing of the two to meet and discuss the project over a Zoom call leading quickly to his casting as the lead character, Terry Richmond.
However, the setback of needing to recast after a month of working with Boyega was a minor hiccup compared to the follow-up issues. When the movie began re-shooting in 2022, it found itself faced with COVID-19 restrictions that had already hindered the early production (initial production started in May 2021). Add in the WGA strike, which lasted from May 2 to September 27, 2023, spanning 148 days, and it marked a turbulent production for the highly anticipated Netflix original action thriller.
Rebel Ridge Could Still Be a Good Final Product Despite the Drama
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Director Jeremy Saulnier reflected on the chaotic process of completing Rebel Ridge but maintained a healthy outlook and expressed excitement about the final product. This included him mentioning, “Because we faced headwinds, [Rebel Ridge] did end up being a version of the movie that far exceeded my expectations.” Saulnier also expressed gratitude to everyone who stuck with him throughout:
“So I do believe that this feels like the only version of the film that was destined to happen, and I’m so grateful that the fates connected me and Aaron Pierre, and that the crew and the cast had the fortitude to stick with us. And the support from Netflix all the way through to the end was just singular.”
It does appear that the problems the production faced got the film where it needed to be, and on September 6, audiences can experience Rebel Ridge for themselves when it lands on Netflix. With the promised intense action and anticipated performance from Aaron Pierre, we predict it shooting straight up to the number one spot and being the most talked-about movie this September. Stream Rebel Ridge on Netflix.
