Battle: Los Angeles, also known as World Invasion: Battle LA outside the U.S., is an upcoming 2011 science fiction film directed by filmmaker Jonathan Liebesman, and starring Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Pena, and Bridget Moynahan. The film premise is inspired by the Battle of Los Angeles incident.
For years, there have been documented cases of UFO sightings around the world – Buenos Aires, Seoul, France, Germany, China. But in 2011, what were once just sightings will become a terrifying reality when Earth is attacked by unknown forces.
As people everywhere watch the world’s great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. It’s up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his new platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they’ve ever encountered before.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has been investigating the possibility of legal action against the filmmakers Greg and Colin Strause, who were hired to do visual effects work on Battle: Los Angeles through their special effects company Hydraulx. Sony Pictures suspects the Strause Brothers have created their own Los Angeles based alien invasion film Skyline, which will compete with Battle: Los Angeles release, by using resources they had gained while working on Battle: Los Angeles without the consent of Sony Pictures.
A spokesman for the Strauses has responded saying, “Any claims of impropriety are completely baseless. This is a blatant attempt by Sony to force these independent filmmakers to move a release date that has long been set by Universal and Relativity and is outside the filmmakers’ control.”
Filming took place from September 2009 through October 2009 in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Principal photography began in the second week of September in Shreveport with scenes depicting a destroyed interstate filled with cars, an overturned tanker truck, and a crashed helicopter. Special effects used, which were unfamiliar in the Shreveport area, included pyrotechnics. The most climactic of all was a large fireball producing explosion, which alarmed passers-by unfamiliar with the filming. Film crews implemented use of a large “green-screen” billboard at the base (end) of the “destroyed” interstate to use later for inserting CGI images of Los Angeles.
Marines of VMMT-204, Marine Corps Air Station New River North Carolina were present for filming in Baton Rouge from October 19 through October 22, 2009. During this period there were multiple shots filmed of the MV-22B Tiltrotor aircraft flying and turning while on the ground. There were also shots of Marines entering and exiting the aircraft.
Also included Marines and CH-46’s from HMM-774 (Medium Lift Helicopter Squadron) stationed in Norfolk, VA, as well as marines from 3D BN 23D Marine Regiment in Belle Chasse, LA.
