“DEEPWATER HORIZON” is based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, the story chronicles the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history.
PRODUCTION NOTES
- The filmmakers depict the story of the 126 crew members working aboard the Deepwater Horizon that day.
- The ultra deep-water drilling rig off the Louisiana coast – the Deepwater Horizon – riveted the world as it experienced a devastating blowout, fire and nearly unstoppable ocean floor oil leak.
- On April 20, 2015, at 10 p.m., volatile methane shot up into the rig, and all the rig’s defenses failed.
Critics praise ‘Deepwater Horizon’ with an 86% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. ‘Inspirational Story,’ ‘Mind-blowing action,’ and ‘Powerful performances’. It ‘will make you believe in the power of the human spirit’
- The result was a sudden, deadly explosion and a series of fireballs, as the shattered rig and tis crew were shaken, hurtled an drenched in combustible gas.
- For 87 days millions watched, hearts in mouths, as more than 50,000 barrels of oil a day gushed from the sea floor into the Gulf of Mexico.
- Wahlberg takes on the role of real-life Transocean chief electronics technician Mike Williams, a devoted family man who was overseeing the rig’s computers and electrical systems.
“I’m drawn to tales of human courage and of the human spirit trying to triumph over real adversity — and those elements are the heart of this story,” says Peter Berg, Director. “The men and women aboard the Deepwater Horizon were extremely intelligent and capable and they tried everything they could to prevent the blowout. It’s important to remember that 11 people lost their lives on the rig, and more were injured. In the middle of all the deserved attention for the oil spill, that heroism has almost been lost. This film is a chance to tell that story.”
- Oil rig workers are a notoriously tough and gritty breed. The work is physically punishing and ultra high-pressure – as workers grapple with complex equipment approximately 60- feet above remote seas.
- The initial blowout killed 11 men who were never found, critically injured others and sparked a bold evacuation of men and women trapped amid roiling mud and fire.
- After two days of searing flames, the remains of the Deepwater Horizon sank 5000 feet to the ocean floor, leaving the well gushing beyond control, ultimately releasing, according to government estimates, 4.9 million barrels of oil.
- An offshore oil rig is essentially a stationary cruise ship – and the Deepwater Horizon was among the most sophisticated in the fleet.
- The rig featured a deck the size of a football field, a 25-story tall derrick and below-deck living quarters for 146 people, including a gym and movie theater.
- But wondrous as the rig was, it was also, at the time of the explosion, 6 weeks behind schedule, and costing a half million dollars a day – pushing management to complete the well as fast as possible.
- Today, court cases are ongoing, coastal businesses are recovering and environmentalists are studying damage to marine life.
BEHIND THE SCENES
- Real-life survivor Mike Williams – whom Wahlberg portrays in the film – came aboard as a consultant it was a litmus test.
- Although Williams originally doubted that a movie could do any justice to what he saw and felt that night, he was soon exhilarated by Berg’s human-centered approach and interest in immersing audiences in the rarely seen lives of oil rig workers before the blowout ever occurs.
“Once Pete told me ‘this is a story about survivors,’ I agreed to come on board. The oil field is not very well understood by outsiders,” Williams points out. “It’s a very close-knit community, so I think this is a great opportunity to show the world what these men and women do out there.”
- For Berg, giving audiences a look at the human side of the deep-sea oil rigs we all rely on in the contemporary world was essential.
- When the search was on for [Mike Williams] someone who could penetrate the very particular world of technicians who live and work on oil rigs, as well as a man who taps into unrealized reserves of physical and emotional strength to make it home to his family – Mark Wahlberg was one of few actors who were a good match.
- Wahlberg and Williams bonded before the film started shooting and spent a lot of time during production on and off set together.
“Deepwater Horizon” hits theaters this Friday, September 30.