London Has Fallen begins filming

Principal photography has begun on Millennium Films’ and Focus Features’ London Has Fallen, the sequel to action thriller Olympus Has Fallen.

Gerard Butler has returned as secret service agent Mike Banning, alongside Aaron Eckhart as the US President.  Also returning are Morgan Freeman as Vice President Trumbull, Angela Bassett as Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs, and Melissa Leo as Defense Secretary Ruth McMillan.

Babak Najafi (Snabba Cash II) directs the thriller (the first film was directed by Antoine Fuqua) from a screenplay by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt (Olympus Has Fallen), Christian Gudegast and Chad St. John.

According to the official synopsis: “The story begins in London, where the British Prime Minister has died in mysterious circumstances. His funeral is a must-attend event for leaders of the western world.

“But what starts out as the most protected event on Earth turns into a deadly plot to kill the world’s most powerful leaders, devastate every known landmark in the British capital, and unleash a terrifying vision of the future.

“Only three people have any hope of stopping it: the President of the United States, his formidable Secret Service head (Butler), and an English MI-6 agent who rightly trusts no one.”

Reprising supporting roles are Robert Forster as General Edward Clegg, Sean O’Bryan as NSA Deputy Director Ray Monroe, and Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning.  Joining the returning cast members are Jackie Earle Haley, Alon Aboutboul, Charlotte Riley, and Waleed Zuaiter (Omar).

Producers are Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, John Thompson, Les Weldon, and Mark Gill. 

Executive producers are Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Peter Schlessel, Matt O’Toole, Boaz Davidson, Heidi Jo Markel, Christine Crow, Zygi Kamasa and Guy Avshalom. Lonnie Ramati is co executive producer. Peter Heslop is co-producer. 

Najafi’s creative team includes production designer Joel Collins (Autobahn, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), costume designer Stephanie Collie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Layer Cake), and cinematographer Ed Wild (Autobahn).  Casting is by Elaine Grainger.

Focus Features will release London Has Fallen theatrically on Oct 2, 2015.