Havoc breaks records as largest film shot entirely in Wales

In a groundbreaking move for the Welsh film industry, the Netflix thriller featuring Tom Hardy, titled Havoc, was entirely filmed in Wales, despite its setting being an unnamed US city. The film, which began production during the pandemic, required innovative strategies by the director Gareth Evans to recreate American cityscapes with available Welsh locations. Key filming sites included Swansea's Brangwyn Hall, which stood in for a police precinct, and several university campuses and studio settings in Cardiff. The production was a collaboration between the US company XYZ Films and Wales-based Severn Studios. Gareth Evans, known for his previous works like The Raid, aimed to bring significant film work to Wales while also ensuring that the visual effects team could seamlessly integrate the necessary American context into their scenes. He expressed challenges faced while constructing the film's settings, which involved scouting locations that could convincingly portray elements of Americana. His vision came to fruition with a commitment to providing local employment and enhancing Wales' reputation in the global film landscape. Filming locations varied widely across south Wales, capturing a range of exteriors and interiors that effectively simulated the feel of an American city. Notably, some car chases and shootouts were carried out in real locations, which helped to add authenticity to the narrative while combining practical effects with visual technology. Local features such as Cardiff's Bute Street were adapted to create scenes that felt like a bustling US street, complete with artificial snow blanketing the area for heightened visual effects. Havoc's production has been hailed as a critical success not only in terms of filmmaking but also for its potential economic benefits to Wales. Since the release of this project, local officials have observed renewed interest in the region as a viable location for future film and television productions, contributing to a growing economy that has been significantly impacted by various productions in recent years. The completion of Havoc represents a hopeful turning point for Wales as a substantial player in the film industry, fostering the location's development and appeal.