A horror movie starring “The Incredible Hulk” actor and champion bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno is set to resume filming in Syracuse after it was shut down halfway through production at the end of August.
“The Hermit” producer Gerry Pass told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that all of the principal cast and most of the same crew members will be back later this month to complete the project. Filming was halted Aug. 30 because of several issues, including an actor’s injury and crew members walking off set over a pay dispute.
Pass also said $24,000 worth of grip and electrical equipment was stolen from the set and that he filed a police report in Syracuse last Thursday. Police identified the victim as Expressway Cinema Rentals, a Rochester-based business that rents camera and lighting equipment to film productions in Western and Central New York.
Pass said he’s secured enough funding to complete the film and is working with new financial backers after a previous investor only provided a tenth of $200,000 promised for the project.
Ferrigno, who was named an honorary Syracuse police officer, will continue in the title role of a murderous, cannibalistic pig farmer who cooks people and makes them into jerky. It’s his first character as a creature since he starred on the superhero TV series, “The Incredible Hulk,” which aired on CBS from 1977 to 1982.
Lead actress Malina Weissman, best known for playing Violet Baudelaire in “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and a young Kara Zor-El on “Supergirl,” is also returning after she was injured on set when she got glue in her eye. A microscopic knife was needed and she lost her eyelashes, preventing her from filming scenes for five days in August, according to Pass.
But finishing “The Hermit” will provide some logistical challenges as it began shooting in mid-August on a farm in South Onondaga. Leaves have since changed color and fallen, and winter weather could make for some continuity issues.
Remaining principal photography will be completed at the former Case Supply building in Syracuse, now being operated as a soundstage, according to Eric Vinal, vice president of film, TV and entertainment for Visit Syracuse.
Pass said director Salvatore Sclafani may need some movie magic to make it all work, so post-production could take longer than originally planned. As a result, the movie might not be released until next fall — which actually might be a good thing, since horror movies are most popular around Halloween.
“It looks amazing,” Pass said of the footage he’s seen so far.
Besides Weissman’s injury, “The Hermit” was also delayed by heavy rains and when David Wolfgang, the director of photography, had to go to the hospital to have a gallbladder removed. But money issues were the largest obstacle as the film crew went on strike during the third week of production when investors’ payments fell behind for some labor, equipment and construction costs.
Pass said he’ll continue hiring as many local people as he can, and added that his experience won’t turn him off from considering Syracuse for future projects. Pass said he never had issues with his other films, which include an executive producer credit on “Manodrome,” shot in Syracuse last winter with Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody.