Boston Manhunt Forces Shutdown on Bradley Cooper-Jennifer Lawrence-Christian Bale Film ‘American Hustle’
The chaos that has gripped Boston in the wake of Monday's bombings has had an unexpected impact on the world of movies.
It was announced Friday morning that production of David O. Russell's upcoming film "American Hustle" has been put on hold, with the day's shooting schedule scrapped; the film is being shot on location in Boston and the surrounding areas, and with the city in lockdown following the shooting death of one of the bombing suspects, the production is waiting until authorities lift their request that Bostonians stay off the streets.
Sony, the studio behind the project, released a statement that read in part, "The production is heeding the Governor’s request 'to remain in doors.'"
"American Hustle" is a fact-based drama based on the ABSCAM scandal of the late 1970s and '80s, in which a handful of congressmen were caught taking bribes in an FBI sting operation. Russell, who recently enjoyed major critical and financial success with "Silver Linings Playbook," is directing from a screenplay by Eric Singer; the cast includes Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Lawrence, and Louis CK.
Filming on "American Hustle" began in Boston on March 18, and after a week in Worcester, Massachusetts, the production returned to Boston Wednesday.
Thursday night, bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in an altercation with police, and his brother and fellow suspect, Dzhokar Tsarnaev, is at large and considered armed and dangerous. As authorities stage a large-scale manhunt, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has asked his constituents to cooperate by staying inside and outside of harm's way so police can do their work.