Last weekend Sam, who was born in Northern Ireland, wrapped filming on Jurassic World: Dominion after a roller-coaster shoot in Pinewood Studios in London. On Sunday he retweeted his director Colin Trevorrow's wrap photo and added; "There were days we thought we might not make it. But we have … we pulled off what seemed well, nigh impossible. Great crew. Lovely cast. Top director. Phew- and CELEBRATIONS."
The shoot was shut down in March as the global pandemic prompted shelter-in-place orders. The film resumed production in July with a new set of safety regulations, making it the first major Hollywood studio blockbuster to do so. Universal Pictures was forced to pause filming on Dominion for two weeks in October after "a small amount of positive tests for Covid-19" emerged among the crew, according to a studio statement.
In an interview with Deadline, the film-makers revealed just what it took to pull off filming of the dino movie during a pandemic: 40,000 Covid-19 tests, $8 million to $6 million spent on protocols alone, and a cast and crew sequestered in a hotel for months.
It's been a busy month. Neill and Michael Caton's Aussie sheep farmers' movie has been met with rave reviews in NZ and Australia, as a warm, funny, tender and down-to-earth rural drama. Neill told his social media followers to go and see it, because he can't as he is still working in England.
Next up, the 73-year-old is scheduled to film historical World War II action drama, The Guinea Pig Club, directed by his Sleeping Dogs' director, Roger Donaldson, alongside British actor Richard E. Grant. The movie is in pre-production.
