John Boyega Exits Netflix’s ‘Rebel Ridge’, Production Halted

Netflix thriller Rebel Ridge is experiencing more delays after losing its star. The film was slated to be filmed in April 2020, but was delayed due to COVID and is now being pushed into 2022. The movie is being helmed by Under the Wheels favorite Jeremy Saulnier, who has a solid track record of producing white-knuckle intense low-budget thrillers like Green Room and Blue Ruin. While the film had already begun principal photography, everything came to a halt after star John Boyega departed the set, forcing the search for a new lead.

This came as a shock to many, and the reasoning for the departure is still unclear at this point. John’s agent has stated that the reason for the star’s leaving is due to a family emergency, however other rumors are circulating that he was unhappy with the conditions on set as well as the script and that he left suddenly without warning, with crew discovering his hotel room empty. It is unclear whose story is the most accurate, if there’s truth to both, or if it is all BS, as no named individuals have come forth with anything at this time.

Several observers have questioned the narrative put forth by some media outlets, suggesting that they are part of a concerted effort to unfairly paint John as a stereotypical “difficult to work with” actor. John Boyega has been a very vocal supporter of Black Lives Matter and has also called out racial issues within the film industry, and this has led some to believe he is being silenced, blacklisted, or at the very least that the film industry is unhappy with him and is attempting to make his life difficult. Another odd piece of the puzzle is that John’s production company Upperroom Entertainment Limited is co-producing the film along with Netflix, meaning that he has a financial stake in the success of the film.

These events are unfortunate any way you slice them, and it will be interesting to see how things develop. The hope is that all is well with John Boyega and that this doesn’t impact his promising career and that Jeremy and the rest of the cast and crew are able to make the great movie fans are hoping for either with Boyega or with a new lead.