Updated November 12 at 12:27 p.m. with information on economic impacts and road closures.
LAS CRUCES – “The Locksmith” is scheduled to begin filming on Monday and last through December 17th in Doña Ana County.
The film produced by Mark David and Roger Goff starred Ryan Phillippe (“MacGruber”, “Big Sky”), Kate Bosworth (“The Long Road Home”, “Force of Nature”) and Ving Rhames (“Mission: Impossible – Fallout “, “Pulp Fiction”).
The film is being directed by Nicholas Harvard (“Hell or High Water”, “Yellowstone”), a seasoned first assistant director who will be directing his first feature film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The New Mexico Film Office reports that “The Locksmith” is the story of a skilled locksmith fresh out of jail trying to fight his way back into the lives of his daughter and ex-girlfriend who is now a cop. Things get complicated after an unexpected kidnapping.
The production will employ approximately 65 New Mexico crew members and 200 New Mexico background talent, according to the New Mexico Film Office.
Film Las Cruces’ office estimates the film will raise $ 2 million in the local economy.
Much of the filming takes place at the intersection of Solano Drive and East Madrid Avenue, which means that this intersection will be closed to traffic for certain hours between November 16 and November 24.
“We’re excited to announce another production in Las Cruces, undoubtedly an emerging hot spot for New Mexico production,” said Amber Dodson, director of the New Mexico Film Office.
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The production is the fourth in so many weeks to be filmed in the Las Cruces area.
“Knight,” starring Bruce Willis, filmed a bank robbery and standoff in downtown Las Cruces on October 26th and reportedly scenes revolving around the Field of Dreams a few days later.
Another film – presumably “Hot Seat” with Mel Gibson in the lead role – was filmed in Young Park and the Electronic Caregiver building from November 1st to 7th.
“Chupa,” the story of a boy who discovered a young chupacabra on a family trip to Mexico, was filmed in a number of locations in New Mexico, including on Thursday in Mesilla, where set designers turned Calle de Parian into a Mexican mercado.
Goff, one of the producers of “The Locksmith,” said filming in southern New Mexico – where filmmakers can get an additional 5% discount on filming outside the Albuquerque-Santa Fe corridor – was a “huge benefit.”
“The locations are breathtaking, the weather is beautiful, the people are friendly and helpful. I can’t think of a better production experience or where else could we have made this film that would have been better,” Goff said in the bureau’s New Mexico film press release .
Citizens 18 and over who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and interested in working as paid non-speaking background actors should email their photo and contact information to [email protected].
Film Las Cruces states in a press release that no real guns or blanks are used in production, rubber guns are used and lightning and sound are added during post-production.
For more information on the production, contact [email protected].
Road diversions
The intersection of Solano Drive and East Madrid Avenue will be regularly closed to traffic from November 16 to 24 to allow filming of “The Locksmith”. To ensure access for companies and residents, diversion signs will be put up. The intersection will be closed at the following times:
- Tuesday, November 16: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 17th: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Thursday, November 18th: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. (on Friday morning, November 19th)
- Friday, November 19th: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (Saturday, November 20th in the morning)
- Tuesday, November 23: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 24th: 10:30 am to midnight
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