Aayush Sharma
The Prime Video action comedy film ‘The Pickup’ follows two armored truck drivers who try to escape a dangerous situation when a group of criminals ambushes their vehicle. Directed by Tim Story, the title chronicles the journey of Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), two armored truck drivers working for Guardian Armored Transport Services. On his 25th anniversary, Russell promises his wife, Natalie (Eva Longoria), that they will go for dinner. However, things turn upside down when he starts his day at work. Soon, he and his partner, Travis, find themselves in a difficult position when they find out that a group of criminals is trying to rob their vehicle and take away all the money.
Initially, the duo is able to slip away from the gang, but they soon realize they have stumbled upon something more dangerous. One of the robbers, Zoe (Keke Palmer), shows her face, and that’s when Travis registers that he went on a date with her. But that doesn’t matter; what matters is that Zoe wants to rob $60 million from a casino. With her crew injured during the initial part of the heist, she wants Russell and Travis to help her in the robbery. Most of the film is about whether Russell could celebrate his anniversary with Natalie, while also focusing on the heist, which makes the setting pivotal to the main storyline. It not only escalates the viewing experience but also deepens the story’s emotional stakes.
The Pickup Filming Locations
Even though the story is primarily set in Atlantic City, New Jersey, ‘The Pickup’ is shot entirely in Georgia. The cast and crew began filming in February 2024, and the taping continued till April of the same year. Filmmaker Tim Story had an exciting time shooting the film with Murphy and Davidson. However, one of his most fascinating experiences was filming a fully loaded armored truck running down an open road during a high-stakes chase sequence. He said, “That whole sequence, as well as just doing a chase sequence with an armored truck on an open road. It brings challenges. But what’s great is when you are in a situation you don’t have a blueprint for. So, in launching it, it was something that we knew we had to do right. We had to do it so that at least you believe a lot of it.”
Atlanta Metropolitan Area, Georgia
While Zoe stitches a plan to rob a casino in Atlantic City, NJ, the makers decided to keep the base for taping in Georgia. As a result, the film was extensively shot in and around Atlanta, which is the capital and the most populous city of the Peach State. Some sequences were lensed at the Shadow Box Studios, which is situated at 1415 Constitution Southeast in Atlanta. Located in the heart of the city, Shadow Box Studios is an 850,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art space designed with filmmakers in mind. The premises of the studio consist of nine soundproof, climate-controlled stages that can help in any kind of situation.
Moreover, the facility is loaded with spacious workshops, mill areas, and production-ready offices to help the studios in their creative processes. That’s one of the reasons why the makers decided to record certain important sequences at the aforementioned studio. Prior to ‘The Pickup,’ projects such as ‘Jackpot,’ ‘You’re Cordially Invited,’ ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters,’ ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me,’ ‘Venom,’ and ‘Jumanji’ have been filmed at the Shadow Box Studios.
On the other hand, a huge chunk of a vital scene was recorded at an airport in Villa Rica, which is also a part of the aforementioned metropolitan area. Atlanta has been one of the most popular destinations for several production companies. The cost of production expenses is quite low in The City in a Forest. Moreover, it features a robust infrastructure that supports the film and TV industry. On the other hand, the diverse landscapes make Atlanta one of the most suitable locations for shooting. Apart from ‘The Pickup,’ several titles such as ‘Superman,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘Thunderbolts*,’ ‘ Ozark,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ and ‘Pecamaker’ have also been filmed in the state popularly known as the Empire State of the South.
Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area, Georgia
Apart from Atlanta, another area that served as a primary location for filming is the Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area. Places such as Rome and Lindale were the other primary locations for the shoot. While the principal photography began in February 2024, the crew continued the production till April. In February 2024, the second unit went to Rome to tape some crucial sequences for the film and returned in April to lens additional scenes for the production. One primary location was 198 West 4th Avenue in Rome, where the crew stopped for shooting. Meanwhile, the taping also took place at Lindale Mill, located at 6 Park Avenue Southeast in Lindale. While shooting at these places, the traffic had to be stopped briefly, and the city’s public works committee and traffic commission approved intermittent traffic controls for two days, one in February and another in April.
According to People Magazine, an accident happened during the recording of the title when a truck and a car collided with each other. No principal cast member, including Murphy, Palmer, and Davidson, was present on the set. “On April 20, an accident occurred on the set of ‘The Pickup’ during a rehearsed 2nd unit action sequence. Unfortunately, the sequence did not go as planned, and several members of the crew were injured as a result,” a spokesperson from Amazon told the outlet. As per The Hollywood Reporter, two members involved in the accident suffered “life-threatening” injuries. Right after the entire incident, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees initiated an investigation to find out what exactly caused the accident. The investigation was concluded in October 2024, with the OSHA determining that the production of ‘The Pickup’ didn’t violate any safety regulations.
This is not the first time a major production studio chose Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area as one of the primary locations for their title. It is known for its scenic landscapes and historical architecture, which makes it a popular destination for lensing movies, TV series, commercials and other entertainment-related productions. Apart from ‘The Pickup,’ several high-end projects like ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Black Widow,’ ‘The Mule,’ ‘Remember The Titans,’ ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ ‘Need For Speed,’ and ‘Identity Thief’ have been shot in the aforementioned metropolitan area.
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