According to The Hollywood Reporter, Renny Harlin — director of Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Cliffhanger, among others — is prepping the comedy Class Reunion 3 to shoot in Finland later this month under strict COVID-19 safety protocols.
Co-written by Harlin, the third installment to the franchise (which will mark Harlin’s first feature in the Finnish language) follows a trio of down-on-their-luck middle-aged friends who are brought back together by class reunions and other late-life occasions. The film is expected to be the first feature-length production in Finland amidst the escalating coronavirus pandemic. In order to ensure safety for everyone involved, a full-time on-set health professional will monitor guidelines and ensure proper social distancing and hygiene procedures are met. Harlin will also employ visual FX in order to maintain necessary protocols in group scenes.
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Harlin had been making action films in China for the last half-decade, but was forced to leave after the coronavirus hit.
“I’ve been living in Hollywood and Beijing for the last 35 years, making 22 movies,”Harlin said. “I felt that this summer was the perfect time to return to my roots and make a beautiful, no-holds-barred, madcap comedy with a bunch of old friends.”
The Finnish version of the Class Reunion franchise owes itself to the Danish movie series Klassefesten from Nordisk Film. The first two entries in that particular series sold over 800,000 tickets in Finland, which is a big deal considering the population is just 5.5 million.
“Just very recently we switched to in-person production meetings and scouting and casting,” Harlin explained. “We use masks and keep safe distances. It’s all a matter of adjusting to the situation and making the best out of a challenging environment. I look forward to an exciting summer shoot in the beautiful, clean and safe environment of my homeland.”
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Mari Perankoski helped write the screenplay. Markus Selin and Jukkah Helle will serve as producers.
Harlin most recently directed the Jackie Chan comedy Skiptrance in 2016 and the Hong Kong-China action thriller Bodies at Rest in 2019. He plans to return to China later this year.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
