THE “biggest feature film ever shot entirely in Wales” opened this week on Netflix after being shot at studios in Bridgend and Cardiff – and on location in the area.
Action-thriller HAVOC, produced with Creative Wales support, stars Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Timothy Olyphant and Forest Whitaker, and is written and directed by Welsh-born Gareth Evans (The Raid, Apostle, Gangs of London).
HAVOC follows a deal gone wrong and a bruised detective having to fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son.
The production was shot at Dragon Studios in Bridgend, Great Point Studios in Cardiff, and on location across South Wales.
Wales has become one of Netflix’s key production hubs and has been the filming location for shows like the hit original Sex Education which was shot at various locations across south Wales over four successful seasons. Thanks to Creative Wales support – the teen comedy drama was able to create a significant amount of job opportunities locally, as well as over 60 trainee and apprenticeship positions for young Welsh creatives, many of whom went on to secure full-time roles.
During the production of HAVOC, A-list Hollywood celebrities Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker had fans stunned when they were spotted in and around the Vale of Glamorgan between filming.
Tipped to be a possible contender for the next James Bond film, actor Tom Hardy was seen with family members enjoying the sights, sounds and rides at Barry Island Pleasure Park. And Oscar-winning producer and actor Forest Whitaker took to social media to share photos of himself enjoying a break from filming in Wales, including at the iconic pier in Penarth.
Photo courtesy of Peter Gillibrand.
Photo: M&S Culverhouse Cross
- Tom Hardy savours the fun of Barry Island Pleasure Park
- Peaky Blinders’ Tom Hardy takes repeat peak into Barry Island Pleasure Park
- Film star Tom Hardy pops into Culverhouse Cross
- Actor Forest Whitaker shares Penarth holiday snap
Speaking at the time of Tom Hardy’s first visit to Barry Island Pleasure Park in July 2021, owner Henry Danter said: “He was very pleasant to everybody.
“He said it was the best Park in Wales and I said ‘yes’.
“It was raining so it wasn’t the best time to come here, but he liked it very much.”
HAVOC is the latest in a long line of major TV and film productions filmed in Wales with Welsh Government backing through Creative Wales: from HBO’s House of the Dragon, to Amazon’s recently announced Young Sherlock and the much-acclaimed recent cinematic release Mr Burton
Anna Mallet, Vice President of Production, UK, Netflix, said: “From Sex Education to The Crown, and now to HAVOC, some of our most beloved titles were filmed or produced in Wales. Blessed with incredible creative talent and beautiful natural landscapes, Wales is an amazing place to make entertainment, so Netflix is delighted that our Welsh productions can continue to create such enduring cultural and economic opportunities.”
Culture Minister, Jack Sargeant, said: “Collaborations like this create jobs, training opportunities and major spend within our economy and are a global platform to showcase everything we offer as a nation.”
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