Crew members from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) have formed a picket line at the Gaffney, South Carolina, set of an untitled action film starring Jonathan Majors, produced by The Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend. The walkout began late last week over labor issues. Production continues amid efforts to replace striking workers.
Late last week, crew on the Gaffney, South Carolina, production walked off the job, prompting IATSE to call a strike over unspecified labor disputes. A picket line now stands outside the set of the untitled action movie, written and directed by Kyle Rankin. Producers Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire and Dallas Sonnier of Bonfire Legend are seeking replacements, while the union urges others not to cross the line. Filming persists in some form despite the protest, which producers downplay as involving only a handful of picketers. Sonnier dismissed the action in a statement, saying, “We are too busy being bad asses, blowing sh*t up, flying helicopters, and killing movie terrorists to concern ourselves with four assholes with signs on the sidewalk and their illegitimate ‘strike.’” Majors stars in and executive produces the film, which draws inspiration from 1980s and 1990s action tales like Red Dawn and Toy Soldiers, featuring teenage boys fighting invaders. This marks Majors' first film in four years following his 2023 assault conviction, after which he lost roles in major projects including Creed III and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend previously collaborated with Rankin on Run Hide Fight and have cast actors like Armie Hammer and Gina Carano in comeback roles.
