Naman Shrestha
Helmed by Frank E. Flowers, Prime Video’s ‘The Bluff’ is a period action thriller movie that centers on a former pirate named Ercell Bodden AKA Bloody Mary, who has left her violent past behind and focuses on her family, which includes her beloved husband T.H., their son Isaac, and her sister-in-law Elizabeth. Out of nowhere, her peaceful life in the 19th century is turned upside down when Conner, her former captain, reenters her life seeking revenge.
While keeping her family safe, Ercell must rely on her skills in swordsmanship and setting up traps in order to fight back against the notorious captain and his merciless crew. Featuring a talented ensemble cast comprising Priyanka Chopra, Karl Urban, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Safia Oakley-Green, and Temuera Morrison, the tale of revenge and journey of redemption unfolds in the Cayman Islands, which provides the ideal backdrop that the narrative demands.
The Bluff Filming Locations
Although ‘The Bluff’ is set in the Cayman Islands, the shooting was primarily conducted in Queensland, Australia. A few portions were also shot on location, in the Cayman Islands. According to reports, principal photography for the thriller film got underway in June 2024 and went on for about two months before wrapping up in the second week of August of the same year. Upon the conclusion of the production, Karl Urban took to social media and opened up about his experience, stating, “That’s a wrap on THE BLUFF. Massive thanks to our incredible GC based crew ❤️🙏🏽 smashed it ! Thank you to our fantastic director Frank Flowers , our phenomenal cast…”
Queensland, Australia
A major chunk of ‘The Bluff’ was lensed across the state of Queensland, situated in northeastern Australia. The production team set up camp at Village Roadshow Studios on Entertainment Road in the suburb of Oxenford in the City of Gold Coast. As per reports, they utilized various amenities in the film studio, including numerous water tanks to incorporate the scenes set in the open water surrounding the Cayman Islands. It is home to a total of 12 sound stages, which include three water tanks, which are considered the largest in Australia. The film studio also consists of construction workshops, production offices, wardrobe and laundry facilities, and more, making it an ideal production location for filmmakers.
Within the City of Gold Coast, the filming unit also took over the suburb of Helensvale to tape several key portions for the thriller. As numerous locales of Queensland doubled for the Cayman Islands, the production contributed about $42 million to the state’s local economy by creating about 600 jobs for screen practitioners. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Priyanka Chopra, who portrays Ercell “Bloody Mary” Bodden, revealed that she did most of the stunts herself. She stated, “This movie really required our faces on camera because there’s a dramatic performance that’s happening so our stunt doubles were used very sparingly. They were used more to coach us on how to do it.”
The actor also opened up about the challenges she faced in shooting the invasion sequence in the beginning, wherein her character was barefoot. “The whole home is made out of wood. So I had splinters and cuts and things that you don’t realise when you’re doing it and at the end of the night, when you’re sitting in that magnesium soak, you’re like, ‘Ow! Ee!,'” she added. The scene took four or five days to shoot and she was coated in fake blood all day while her hair was matted and dusty.
Cayman Islands
Since ‘The Bluff’ was set in the Cayman Islands, it is only natural for a minor chunk to be recorded on location. As per reports, the cast and crew members were spotted shooting a few sequences at Skull Cave and The Bluff, which is the highest part of the islands located at the eastern end of the island of Cayman Brac. Besides the Karl Urban starrer, the Cayman Islands has hosted the production of a few other movies, such as ‘Red Notice,’ ‘The Firm,’ and ‘Into the Blue.’
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