Quick summary
- Filming is under way on the Gold Coast for Bluefly, a sci-fi action thriller directed by Nimród Antal, Screen Queensland announced.
- The cast is led by Russell Crowe, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Michael Chiklis.
- The state government says the production will add an estimated $7.3 million to Queensland’s economy and employ around 190 crew.
- Highland Film Group is selling worldwide rights and continues sales this month at the American Film Market in Los Angeles.
Cameras have started rolling on the Gold Coast for Bluefly, a sci-fi action thriller starring Russell Crowe, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Michael Chiklis, Screen Queensland announced this week. It is Crowe’s third Queensland-made film in recent years, and the state is promoting it as another win for its screen industry.
What Bluefly is about
According to the Screen Queensland announcement as published by Mirage News, the film follows a United States special ops unit sent to recover a missing high-tech military aircraft from the Congo. Crowe plays Benny, a former pilot. Chopra Jonas plays Myla Reese, a UN interpreter. Chiklis plays John Broyles, the government operative leading the covert mission.
As the team pushes upriver into militia-held territory, the synopsis says, reality starts to fracture under the influence of a powerful force hidden deep in the jungle. The film is directed by Nimród Antal.
Chiklis is described in the release as an Emmy award-winning actor. For earlier casting news, see our report on Daniel MacPherson joining the film.
A third Queensland film for Crowe
Crowe previously shot Land of Bad on the Gold Coast, a project from Highland Film Group and Broken Open Pictures, the same companies now behind Bluefly. The announcement also lists his 2026 release The Get Out as a Queensland-made film. Readers can follow how that film has performed on streaming in our coverage of The Get Out in the Paramount+ Top 10.
Chopra Jonas is also returning to the state. She filmed The Bluff there in 2025, according to Screen Queensland.
The numbers behind the shoot
Queensland’s Minister for the Arts, John-Paul Langbroek, said the film shows the state’s appeal to producers and talent. He credited the government’s Production Attraction Strategy, which he described as a consistent pipeline of high-profile productions.
The figures in the release are specific:
- an estimated $7.3 million will flow into the state economy through local spending on accommodation, transport, construction, logistics, catering and other businesses;
- around 190 skilled crew are employed directly;
- places are offered to early-career practitioners through Screen Queensland’s Attachment Program.
Julie Eckersley, the agency’s Executive Director of Screen Content, said Queensland has a strong record with high-end action films, pointing to crews experienced in stunt work, weapons handling and location shoots, including on water. That last point matters for a story set on a river.
Producer Deborah Glover of G2 Dispatch said the state continues to be a fantastic place to make films, citing its crews, locations and facilities.
Who is making it and who is paying
The release names a long list of producers, including Michael Jefferson for Polite Society, David Frigerio and RuthAnne Frigerio for Broken Open Pictures, Glover for G2 Dispatch, and Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group. Highland Film Group is handling worldwide rights.
The production is backed by the Australian Government’s Location Offset, Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy, and local support from the Gold Coast Film Commission and Invest Gold Coast’s Screen Attraction Program.
Queensland has a busy slate. The release says UK series Feral is also filming there, and lists upcoming international releases made in the state, including Who The Hell is Hamish?, followed in 2027 by season three of Black Snow, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, Dustfall and The Mark.
What happens next
No release date or distributor has been announced. Highland Film Group continues sales on Bluefly this month at the American Film Market in Los Angeles, which is usually where buyers sign deals for territories. Further casting or release news will most likely follow once those sales conclude. More coverage is on our Russell Crowe page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bluefly being filmed?
Filming is taking place on the Gold Coast in Queensland, according to Screen Queensland.
Who stars in Bluefly?
Russell Crowe, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Michael Chiklis lead the cast. Crowe plays former pilot Benny.
When will Bluefly be released?
There is no release date yet. The film is still in production and is being offered to buyers at the American Film Market this month.
