Gerard Butler police thriller “Copshop” will be starting production this week at Blackhall Studios in Atlanta while Fayetteville’s Pinewood Studios will soon be welcoming its next Disney+ Marvel series, this one called “Hawkeye” starring Jeremy Renner.
“Copshop” will be set at a small-town police station that becomes the unlikely battleground between Butler’s professional hitman, a smart rookie female cop and a double-crossing con man played by Frank Grillo, who seeks refuge behind bars with no place left to run.
Part of the film will also be shot in New Mexico, another state with strong tax credits.
Butler, a Scottish born actor, has built a long resume of films over the past two decades, most notably “300” in 2006. Other films include “Lara Craft: Tomb Raider” (2003), “Phantom of the Opera” (2004), “Tomorrow Never Dies” (2007), “Olympus Has Fallen” (2013), “London Has Fallen” (2016) and “Angel Has Fallen” (2019).
Grillo plays supervillain Brock Rumlow in the Marvel cinematic universe and was part of “Avengers: Endgame” and two “Captain America” films, so he has spent some time in metro Atlanta. He also had a major role in two “Purge” movies.
Meanwhile, Marvel’s latest Disney+ series “Hawkeye” will feature the Oscar-nominated Renner, who plays Clint Barton. After his family disappeared in “Avengers: Infinity War,” Barton — known as archery specialist Hawkeye — became a mercenary who kills criminals as vengeance. During “Endgame,” Black Widow convinced him to rejoin the Avengers and he reunited with his family. Details of the TV series has yet to be released by Marvel.
Marvel usually creates fake names during production. “Hawkeye” is being named “Anchor Point.”
Pinewood, which will change its name next month since the original U.K. Pinewood Group sold off its share of the studio, for years has been home to many Marvel productions including “Black Panther,” “Ant-Man” and “Avengers: Endgame.” Three other upcoming Disney+ series have shot there: “Loki,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “Wanda Vision.” It is one of the largest studios in North America with 700 acres and 18 stages.
River’s Rock, an independently managed trust of the Cathy family, owns the entire studio now. The Cathys also own the popular Chick-fil-A fast-food operations.
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