John Boyega leaves Netflix movie mid-shoot for “family reasons”
(Credit: Gage Skidmore)

Films

John Boyega leaves Netflix movie mid-shoot for “family reasons”

Actor John Boyega has left filming of Netflix’s forthcoming thriller Rebel Ridge mid-shoot citing “family reasons.”

According to Deadline, filming began on the project at the beginning of May and Boyega’s work was well underway before he departed the set. 

A spokesperson announced that the filming of “Rebel Ridge is pausing temporarily as we look to re-cast John Boyega who needed to leave the project for family reasons.”

The statement later added, “We remain committed to Jeremy Saulnier’s extraordinary film and look forward to resuming production. We look forward to continuing our partnership with John Boyega’s UpperRoom Productions, in addition to our upcoming film They Cloned Tyrone in which he also stars.”

The official logline for Rebel Ridge describes the movie as “a high-velocity thriller that explores systemic American injustices through intense action sequences, suspense and dark humour”. With Boyega taking on the lead role in the Jeremy Saulnier-direct movie, it is unclear where his departure leaves the project. 

No replacement casting has yet been announced to join the remaining members which include the up-and-coming stars Don Johnson, Anna Sophia Robb, James Cromwell and Emory Cohen.

No further details have been released expanding what the “family reasons” in question pertain to, but we wish Boyega all the best in whatever it is he is facing. 

You can catch a trailer for director Jeremy Saulnier’s breakthrough project Blue Ruin