John Boyega was set to take a leading role in filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier‘s next feature film, “Rebel Ridge,” for streaming giant Netflix. Plot details for the project have been kept under wraps and had originally planned on shooting in the spring of 2020 before the pandemic delayed filming.
READ MORE: Don Johnson, James Badge Dale & More Join John Boyega In Jeremy Saulnier’s ‘Rebel Ridge’
Well, there has been a huge shake-up on the “Rebel Ridge” production as Deadline reports that Boyega has officially exited the project mid-filming citing “family reasons.” However, they don’t expand upon what that means, but things happen, and he wouldn’t be the first actor to exit during production. They also add that Netflix and Jeremy Saulnier are currently trying to find a replacement to fill the role.
Hopefully, John Boyega and his family are okay, along with production being able to resume with a new actor. I doubt it will be long before Netflix or trades announce his replacement.
The rest of the cast of “Rebel Ridge” is AnnaSophia Robb, Emory Cohen, Don Johnson, James Cromwell, James Badge Dale, Zsane Jhe, and Al Vicente.
In better news, Boyega is returning to his sci-fi comedy roots with “Attack The Block 2” on the horizon, but writer/director Joe Cornish is busy for the foreseeable future with his Netflix series “Lockwood” that will shoot over the summer in London. So, it’s doubtful the British actor is bouncing “Rebel Ridge” for the “Attack The Block” sequel.
He also has the Netflix sci-fi film “They Cloned Tyrone“ that already wrapped that co-stars “Spider-Man: No Way Home“s Jamie Foxx and “WandaVision“s Teyonah Parris.
Saulnier is likely best known for the revenge thriller “Blue Ruin” and the fantastic thriller “Green Room” starring the late Anton Yelchin alongside Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, and Alia Shawkat.