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Crews film near Sheridan
The Sheridan Press By Robert Waggener, Staff reporter
Reprinted with permission
The rumor mill was literally living this weekend as motorists on Interstate 90 between Sheridan and Ranchester thought a small cargo plane had crashed.
It was movie magic. The cargo plane is a prop in a film being directed by world-renowned filmmaker John McTiernan. MeTiernan lives near Dayton.
McTieman is directing a remake of the 1975 movie "Rollerball," which starred James Caan.
"That's all I can really say about it right now. I can't give the story away," said the movie's production manager. Justin Moritt of Los Angeles.
The 1975 take of Rollerball is about a rough contact sport played in the 21st century where the world is controlled by huge corporations.
For the past several days. crews have been filming throughout the night just otf Interstate 90 near Acme. The local filming is scheduled to finish tonight, Moritt said.
McTiernan has a big-time list of movies to his name, including Die Hard, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Last Action Hero. Predator and The Hunt for Red October.
One of his latest movies was a remake of the Thomas Crown Affair, and local attorney Kim Cannon had a small part in the production. McTiernan directed and co-produced the movie.
Moritt said there aren't any Sheridan-area actors in the remake of Rollerball, and only a small portion of the movie is being filmed here.
DRESSED TO THE HILT on a bitter-cold night, Rick Garrison of Sheridan, along with other crews, prepared this model cargo plane for filming a remake of the 1975 movie Rollerball.
"We are doing some second-unit stunt work here," said Moritt, who explained that the actors' doubles are doing the stunt work.
The cargo plane was built by part of the film crew's model makers in Canada, and was trucked to Sheridan County in pieces, Moritt said. A huge crane supplied by N.A. Nelson Construction Co. was used to elevate the plane to make it seem like it was living at night, he said.
"The plane will be a story point in the movie. I can't really get into it without giving the story away," Moritt said this morning after filming all night in temperatures which dipped below zero.
Moritt said McTiernan is a wonderful director to work with.
"He is very well known in the movie-making business," Moriti said.
Moritt, originally from New York, said he worked with McTiernan in the filming of Die Hard with a Vengeance.
McTiernan is co-producing the latest version of Rollerball with Michael Tadross, of New York.
The scheduled release date for Rollerball is mid-August, Moritt said. "It's going to be a great film."
