There has been backlash concerning the production of the upcoming Superman spinoff Man of Tomorrow (2027), which filmed scenes inside a federal correctional institution in Atlanta. Early reports stated that inmates are complaining about the disruption the shoot caused to their everyday activities, forcing them to spend more time in cells and restricting access to some services. The movie, which commenced shooting there early this week, uses FCI Atlanta as a replacement prison for a fictional correctional facility related to the beginning of the film’s storyline.
Different views about the influence of prison shootings on the facility’s inmates emerge
Early news sources indicated that the prisoners expressed dissatisfaction about the shooting being conducted. According to one source, “Inmates are pissed… screwing up their routines—and more importantly, access inside the joint,” emphasizing the lack of ability to move freely around and the reduced availability of services, including the ability to buy from the commissary. Attention was brought to this case because such a scenario, where production was filming scenes inside an active federal facility rather than an inactive one, is rare.
However, there have been refutations to these claims from officials of the government. An unnamed official of the Federal Bureau of Prisons said that they had “only heard nothing but positive feedback about the production from inside the joint… and it’s an honor for the facility to be a location for the DC movie.” It should also be mentioned that “any modified operations status” would only be necessary for security issues of staff members and inmates.
The filming of scenes inside the prison is connected directly to the plot of the film. As it was previously reported by director James Gunn, the first act involves Lex Luthor imprisoned due to the events in Superman (2025). At the moment, Nicholas Hoult is filming at the prison facility as Luthor, and according to the set, the prison is connected to a fictional VanKull Department of Corrections.
Although the shoot will take place in a part of the prison, it is anticipated to wrap up soon. Nevertheless, one can observe that there are two very different accounts of the same issue coming from inmates’ representatives and government officials.
In addition, the irony has been highlighted online concerning this production’s controversy, referring to the connection to Superman.
