Just a quick update on Damien Chazelle’s next film, which is currently shooting in Athens — the cast includes Cillian Murphy, Daniel Craig, Michelle Williams, and Mia Threapleton.
An X account has done a recap of all the news coming out of Greek media concerning this project. Turns out Chazelle’s film is currently being shot under the title “Sacrifice.” Now, this could just be a working title — we’re not entirely sure — but at least we have something other than “Untitled Damien Chazelle Prison Movie.”
As previously reported, the film, set in the ‘40s, tackles a prison warden (Craig) who attempts to discipline a defiant inmate (Murphy) within a brutal correctional system. Tensions rise, and their relationship evolves into a psychological duel. Williams portrays the warden’s wife. Mia Threapleton plays the inmate’s girlfriend.
Additionally, here are our first-look images of Craig and Murphy in character, taken over the weekend.
The prison setting is described as “fortress-like.” A “chaotic prison riot sequence” was filmed last week. Furthermore, the film, which is investing $25M of its budget in Greece, takes inspiration from Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail.” Production is supposed to wrap on June 1.
This will be Chazelle’s first film since 2022’s “Babylon.” His other directing credits include “Whiplash,” “La La Land,” and “First Man.”
Lol Crawley (“The Brutalist”) is serving as cinematographer, while Chazelle’s longtime collaborator Justin Hurwitz is composing the score. This mid-budget prison drama is set up at Paramount. No release date has been announced just yet.