Naman Shrestha
In Prime Video’s ‘Balls Up,’ Brad and Elijah are two marketing executives who take a gamble by pitching a bold full-coverage condom sponsorship with the soccer World Cup. When their plan backfires and they miss out on the client sponsorship opportunity, they are fired. Despite the blunder, they decide to make the most of their free tickets and attend a major soccer match. More complications arise when the two men get involved in an alcohol-fueled scandal at the World Cup Final.
Now, with furious soccer fans and dangerous criminals at their heels, Brad and Elijah must join forces despite their rivalry. The duo must make a run for their careers and lives and find a safe way out of Brazil. Directed by Peter Farrelly, the raunchy sports-action comedy movie features a talented ensemble cast comprising Mark Wahlberg, Paul Walter Hauser, Molly Shannon, Benjamin Bratt, Daniela Melchior, Eric André, and Sacha Baron Cohen. The comedic tale unfolds primarily in the streets of Brazil, a country synonymous with soccer, making it an ideal backdrop for the soccer-based narrative.
Balls Up Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘Balls Up’ took place primarily in Australia and Brazil, specifically in Queensland and Rio de Janeiro. According to reports, principal photography for the Mark Wahlberg starrer got underway in July 2024 and seemingly wrapped up after several weeks, around August of the same year. As the premiere date of the film approached, William Blanco Medina, who portrays Man Mountain, recounted his experience on set, stating, “Fala padrão!! @sachabaroncohen Man… still feels unreal! What an honor to be part of this crazy journey and work alongside legends! Grateful for every moment, every laugh, and every lesson.”
Queensland, Australia
A major portion of ‘Balls Up’ was lensed in Queensland, a state in northeastern Australia. Given its diverse geographical features, such as rivers, rainforests, mountains, and pristine beaches, Queensland seemingly doubled as Brazil for the comedy movie. In particular, the filming unit set up camp at Village Roadshow Studios on Entertainment Road in Oxenford, a suburb in the City of Gold Coast. The film studio is home to nine sound stages of varying sizes, three advanced water tanks, nine construction workshops, twelve air-conditioned production offices, Wardrobe and Laundry Facilities, and more.
All these amenities make the Village Roadshow Studios a favorable shooting site for filmmakers. Numerous indoor and outdoor scenes set in Brazil were apparently shot on studio sets. The cast and crew were also spotted filming various exterior scenes across Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, especially in front of the Brisbane City Hall on 64 Adelaide Street, adjacent to King George Square. During a conversation with Screen Queensland, its CEO, Jacqui Feeney, stated, “This production from Amazon MGM Studios and Skydance will generate an estimated $64.8 million for the Queensland economy, employing approximately 250 local cast and crew, as well as utilising small businesses.”
Moreover, the EVP of Physical Production at Skydance, Brad Carlson, stated that numerous factors contributed to their decision to shoot ‘Balls Up’ in Queensland. He added, “With its wide variety of urban and rural locations coupled with a robust incentive program and talented crew base, Queensland was the perfect choice to base our production.” Other notable movies and TV shows filmed in Queensland include ‘Anaconda,’ ‘Love and Monsters,’ ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ ‘A Perfect Pairing,’ ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop,’ ‘Lunatics,’ and ‘Mako Mermaids.’
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Since ‘Balls Up’ is set in Brazil, it is only natural that the production team filmed a significant portion on location. To do that, they traveled to Rio de Janeiro, the capital of the eponymous state. They reportedly shot various establishing and exterior shots across the city, with numerous landmarks and buildings in the backdrop, such as Christ the Redeemer, the Theatro Municipal, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Rio-Niteroi Bridge, and more.
For instance, the filming unit reportedly took over the iconic Maracanã Stadium at R. Prof. Eurico Rabelo in the Maracanã neighborhood of the city, where they taped the World Cup final match that Brad and Elijah attend. Mike Gomez, a camera operator for the Brazil unit, took to social media and stated, “Huge thank you to Producer Andrew Muscato (@ajmuscato) & DP @johnbrawley ACS for having me on as A Camera Operator for Brazil Unit. We got to shoot a live game at the legendary Maracanã Stadium, all around Rio & deep in Iguazu Falls. Much respect to my fantastic 1st AC @maritozatto for being on-point at all times.”
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