Bryan Cranston Demands Full Payment Before Returning to Indie Film Lone Wolf Amid $2M Funding Shortfall
Bryan Cranston has made his position crystal clear regarding the ongoing funding challenges facing the indie movie Lone Wolf. The Breaking Bad and Trumbo star insists he will neither return to finish filming nor promote the film until all cast and crew owed money are paid in full.
In a message to Deadline, Cranston expressed his distress over the situation, although he himself has been paid for his work to date. He revealed that multiple co-stars and crew members are still waiting on wages.
As previously reported, Lone Wolf is facing a $2 million shortfall in funding, which halted production months ago. Many crew, vendors, and cast members are still owed at least one week’s wages, and there remains unfinished filming. Financier-producer Jordan Wagner described the situation as a “breakdown in the financing structure,” with financiers scrambling to fill the gaps.
Another financier contacted the outlet, noting that he had not encountered a similar funding crisis in over two decades. Meanwhile, legal action is reportedly under consideration by various parties involved.
While it is not uncommon for indie movies to hit funding snags, it is rare for a project of this scale and promise—featuring talented names and producers—to face such severe production disruptions.
Directed by Mark Pellington, Lone Wolf is a conspiracy thriller following a troubled veteran (Lily Gladstone) recruited by a contractor (Bryan Cranston) for a covert government assassination plot. The cast also includes O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Jennifer Ehle, Chet Hanks, and Spencer Garrett. The producing team features Oscar nominee Christine Vachon and industry veteran Ted Hope.
Bryan Cranston’s Statement to Deadline:
“The report in Deadline (as far as I know) is very accurate (thank you for that, Andreas). It is very unfortunate that this intriguing little story was sideswiped by a few incidents that temporarily derailed the film’s production.
I don’t know all the details – only from what I’m hearing second hand (I am not a producer on this film) so all I can relay is what I do know.See More ...
For some reason money that was promised to be deposited into the escrow accounts for the cast and crew were not done so in a timely manner. That caused a couple stoppages to the shooting. Then, apparently some portion of what was promised was deposited, and that lifted the DO NOT WORK order and we started up again.
Right now, there is a strong effort to raise the necessary capital to finish the film, and I think that will happen for two main reasons: One, because the missing few scenes (approximately over two shooting days) are vital to the story. And two, that I (and I think I speak for Lily as well) will not do anything to promote the film until every cast and crew member is paid back in full, and we will not appear on screen again (ie return to filming) for this movie until that happens.
In full transparency, I was paid for my part in this film even before the last temporary work stoppage – so I was surprised when I found out that we had to stop again, and that most of the crew didn’t get, as far as I know, their last two weeks of pay, nor did the co-stars in the movie.
That is where it stands now…I’m distressed that this has caused so much grief and distrust, and so sorry that this crew (which was fantastic) were not treated with the respect they deserved, but I really believe that the producers will manage these difficult times by making everyone whole, and we’ll finish the film….Man, what a mess. BC.”
