Doha News sat down with the film’s A-list director in an exclusive interview on set at the Museum of Islamic Art in January 2021.
The wait is finally over for movie buffs to watch Operation Fortune, Hollywood legend Guy Ritchie’s latest movie that features scenes shot in the heart of Doha.
Starring Jason Statham (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), Aubrey Plaza (Parks And Recreation), and Cary Elwes (Stranger Things), the film is directed and produced by Ritchie and was fully financed by MIRAMAX, a global film and television studio owned in part by the Qatar based beIN Media Group and ViacomCBS company.
The plot is centred on special agent Orson Fortune, played by Statham, who joins his team on an undercover mission to save the world from the sale of a destructive new weapon.
On Fortune’s team, CIA high-tech expert Sarah Fidel, played by Plaza, helps the agent track down and infiltrate billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds, played by Hugh Grant.
The movie marks Miramax’s third collaboration with Ritchie and the 20th project to be released, or in production, since beIN’s acquisition of the company.
Doha News sat down with Ritchie in an exclusive interview on set at the Museum of Islamic Art in January 2021.
“It’s spectacular, the weather is perfect, the hotel is great, people are lovely, we’ve had a wonderful time, it’s just a shame we’re only here for a day,” Ritchie told Doha News at the time.
The production team chose Qatar because it “liked the look of it,” Ritchie said as he stood before MIA’s scenic arches that are featured in the film.
“We wanted this part of the world, and Qatar is where we chose,” he added.
While the film was initially believed to be the first time Ritchie and Statham reunited after some 14 years, the director revealed to Doha News that the paid had filmed another movie with Statham the year prior.
However, Ritchie was unable to release the previous film due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
“But since we made the last film, we enjoyed that so much, the last film is about a very serious subject, but we found ourselves laughing so much on set that we thought we had to do something more fun. So now… this is a comedy really, it’s a spy comedy, so yeah its great,” the director added.
Ritchie also spoke all about his love for the art of film-making.
“Honestly for me it’s the best job in the world and another little secret is really you do this job whether you’re paid or whether you’re not paid. Obviously, I highly encourage people if they’re passionate about this vocation, I highly encourage it, I love it,” he said.
