With the dark thrillers “Blue Ruin” (2013) and “Green Room” (2015), filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier instantly put himself on the map as an indie darling filmmaker to watch. “Hold the Dark” came in 2018, but it’s been six years between movies. His latest, the long-awaited crime thriller “Rebel Ridge,” finally hits Netflix this September.
The thriller centers on an ex-Marine grappling with a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief.
The film stars Aaron Pierre (“Underground Railroad”) as the ex-Marine, Don Johnson as the sheriff and the film also stars AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen, Steve Zissis, Zsané Jhé, Dana Lee, and James Cromwell.
“Rebel Ridge” might be most notorious for its behind-the-scenes drama and its three delays. Shooting began in April 2020 but was then shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production started up again later that summer, but then-lead-star John Boyega dropped out of the film, allegedly for some diva-like behavior about his accommodations and the script (allegations he denied). This left the production scrambling, and they had to pause, find a new lead, and restart production.
Pierre stepped in for Boyega, filming resumed almost two years later in 2022 and well, after all that upheaval, the film is finally ready.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) enters the town of Shelby Springs on a simple but urgent mission– post bail for his cousin and save him from imminent danger. But when Terry’s life’s savings is unjustly seized by law-enforcement, he’s forced to go head to head with local police chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) and his combat-ready officers. Terry finds an unlikely ally in court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb) and the two become ensnared in a deep-rooted conspiracy within the remote township. As the stakes turn deadly, Terry must call upon his mysterious background to break the department’s hold on the community, bring justice to his own family– and protect Summer in the process.
From the acclaimed writer/director of Green Room, Blue Ruin and Hold The Dark, Rebel Ridge is a deeply human yet high-velocity thriller that explores corruption and morality in the context of bone-breaking action and ever-coiling suspense. Produced by Anish Savjani, Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino and Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge also stars David Denman, Emory Cohen, Steve Zissis, Zsané Jhé, Dana Lee and James Cromwell.
“Rebel Ridge” premieres on Netflix on September 6. Watch the first trailer below.
REBEL RIDGE trailer debuts TOMORROW. Here we go!!! @Netflix #RebelRidge pic.twitter.com/34a87O5Vy4
— Jeremy Saulnier (@saulnier_jeremy) August 6, 2024