After taking over the center of Zagreb yesterday, Hollywood stars Adrien Brody and Sean Penn are moving their film set to the Adriatic coast. Filming of 'Snake Island', a thriller based on allegations of sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in 2022, continues today, with director Doug Liman at the helm.
Third Major Project This Year
Chris Marcich, director of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), confirmed the scale of the undertaking for HRT. "This is the third of 17 projects announced in Croatia this year. It has 19 shooting days in Croatia, which is a lot. They're heading towards Pula, where filming will wrap up in early September, stopping at a few more locations along the way," Marcich said.
Yesterday's scenes were shot in front of the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb, where passersby could see sandbags, barricades, and extras in uniforms with Ukrainian insignia. The film's release date is not yet known.
Reunited After Nearly Three Decades
The meeting of Brody and Penn on set in Croatia brings back memories of their first collaboration in Terrence Malick's war drama 'The Thin Red Line' from 1998. In that film, set during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II, Penn played First Sergeant Edward Welsh, and Brody played Corporal Geoffrey Fife. The impressive cast also included Jim Caviezel, Nick Nolte, George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, and Jared Leto.
There's also an interesting connection between Sean Penn and director Doug Liman. The two worked together 16 years ago on the political drama 'Fair Game' from 2010. That film, based on the true story of former CIA agent Valerie Plame and her husband Joseph Wilson, starred Penn and Naomi Watts in leading roles.
Adrien Brody: From Queens to Double Oscar Winner
Adrien Brody, born on April 14, 1973, in Queens, New York, is one of the most respected actors of his generation. Throughout his career, he has won two Oscars for Best Actor, the first in 2002 for his role in "The Pianist," and the second in 2024 for his performance in "The Brutalist." His arrival in Croatia further confirms the country's status as an increasingly desirable destination for major international productions.