Update: Grand Rapids is in the running for “Tribes of October”

Between comments from folks at Cinepro Pictures, director Phillipe Martinez’ recorded comments at the “Chaos” premiere, and a few of my sources, I can tell you that Grand Rapids is being scouted for Martinez’ next movie “Tribes of October”.

The $25 million budget CGI heavy post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller needs big open spaces to shoot, and I’ve learned that DeVos Place and some big warehouse-size buildings around Grand Rapids are also being considered for possible shooting locations.

Also today, new pre-production images (above) from Cinepro Pictures.

Originally posted May 5, 2009:

“The Chaos Experiment” director coming back to Michigan for next movie, bringing bigger budget, well known actors

UPDATED: He first came to Grand Rapids to film “The Steam Experiment”, now titled “The Chaos Experiment” in 2008… now we know that Director Philippe Martinez will be making his next movie, “Tribes of October” in a yet to be decided location in Michigan.

My source says the movie will be “Shooting in Michigan sometime this summer. Location tbd.”

The Michigan Film Office says that the production company Cinepro Pictures has not yet applied for Michigan’s film incentives.

 About the movie and the early casting

The post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller is set in a future where New York, technologically crippled with nothing made past the 1960’s working, is surrounded by desert wastelands.

Ray Stevenson, Jaime King, Stephen Moyer, Robert Duvall and James Caan are all expected to be in the cast.

Stevenson, who recently starred in the new “Punisher” movie, will play a detective who is targeting a power-hungry Mafia don, played by Cann (NBC’s “Las Vegas”). King (”The Spirit”, “Sin City”) will play the detective’s long-lost love, who he is also searching for, and Duvall is the head of the remnants of the NYPD, of which Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood”) is a member of.

Remember, Duvall and Caan were scheduled to come to Grand Rapids to shoot a TV miniseries, that has since been cancelled due to budget issues.

Cinepro Pictures, the production company, says on its website that production will begin in August.

Some media reports say that most of the movie’s backgrounds will be computer generated. 

Director Philippe Martinez on the set of "The Steam Experiment" 9-10-08

So, could “Tribes” and its $25 million budget be coming to Grand Rapids?

Maybe.  Martinez really enjoyed shooting in downtown Grand Rapids.

On the set of “The Chaos Experiment”, September 10, 2008, I asked Martinez if he would consider coming back to Grand Rapids, he said: “Absolutely, I think that you’re gonna see that in the next 12 months, you’re gonna have about 20-30 pictures coming to Michigan”.

Sounds like we could see Philippe and his crew again.

We’ll keep you posted.

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