Bruce Willis among A-List stars filming ‘A Day to Die’ in Jackson

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi is slowly beginning to rival Georgia and Louisiana when it comes to filmmaking.

Right here in the Capital City, cameras are rolling on a movie made by Sweet Unknown South Productions, a Jackson-based film company.

“This is going to be a fun action film and when people think about explosions and shootouts they don’t think the south,” said film producer Curtis Nichouls.

A Day to Die, starring Bruce Willis, is being filmed in Jackson. The movie, about a bank heist, is set in the Capital City. Nichouls has lived in Jackson nine years and wanted production in Jackson.

The 46-year-old and his business partner director Wes Miller are working to build the state’s film industry luring A-List talent.

“We are new so a lot of agents really didn’t want their actors to work with us even if we had the money and Bruce decided to give us a shot,” said Nichouls. “He’s been working with a few, he only works with select directors, and he really likes Wes Miller.”

The Chicago native’s prior films include A River Runs Red, shot in Jackson, and Atone. Sets are being constructed in One Jackson Place.

Crews built the bedroom of Willis’ character Niles Alston. Also inside are a co-stars bedroom and kitchen, a trap house, a hospital room and recreations of the Jackson Police Department.

Nichouls thanks the city and said the nearly $5 million dollar budget allows them to do more here.

“Now there are more filmmakers coming and it makes it way more attractive for those filmmakers under $10 million to come here and stretch their money,” said the Jackson filmmaker.

Former Jackson State University Acting and Directing professor Dr. Nadia Bodie Smith is production designer and art director.

“We want people to know who we are, what we are about. We want to clear up a lot of misconception about how we operate, how we live, how we celebrate,” said Bodie Smith. “We also are very interested in bringing more jobs to not only the City of Jackson but to the state”.

The cast also includes Leon, George Lopez, Frank Grillo, Kevin Dillon and former NFL player Vernon Davis.

A Day to Die is scheduled for release in February 2022.

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