Where Was The Big Ugly Filmed? Scott Wiper’s Gripping Crime Action Flick!

The Big Ugly (2020) is a must-watch if you like crime action films. The movie narrates a gripping crime story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The crime action movie is filmed in different locations. If you’re interested in finding out about the different filming spots, then continue reading. In this article, I’ll discuss the movie and tell you where was The Big Ugly filmed.

The Big Ugly follows a London mob boss who invests in an American oil company to launder dirty money. But when things appear fishy, the British mob boss travels to America to ensure everything is alright. The crime action film stars many renowned and well-established actors, including Vinnie Jones, Malcolm McDowell, Ron Perlman, Nicholas Braun, and Leven Rambin. 

Malcolm McDowell, who plays the lead in the movie, is a veteran actor who has collaborated with many critically acclaimed directors like Stanley Kubrick, Paul Schrader, and Robert Altman. 

Now to get back to your main concern regarding where was The Big Ugly filmed. The multi-starrer crime action movie was filmed in Morehead, Olive Hill, and Owingsville, Kentucky, United States of America.

From screenwriter and director Scott Wiper, The Big Ugly premiered in the United Kingdom and the United States on 24th July 2020. It was released on streaming platforms on 31st July 2020. The crime action movie is an Endeavour Content production and was distributed by Vertical Entertainment. However, it’s time to give you a detailed account of the movie’s filming locations.

Where Was The Big Ugly Filmed? The Big Ugly Filming Locations!

Scott Wiper’s The Big Ugly was not a commercial success and turned out to be a box office bomb. The crime action movie received mixed responses from critics, who praised Vinnie Jones Malcolm McDowell’s impeccable performance but weren’t quite satisfied with the movie’s screenplay as they thought it could have been much better. The film earned $515,399 against a production budget of $6 million.

Wiper is an American screenplay writer and filmmaker widely known for his crime dramas and action thrillers. He has collaborated with prominent actors like Henry Cavill, Sigourney Weaver, and Bruce Willis. The Big Ugly got an audience score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 5.1 on IMDb. However, let’s check out where was The Big Ugly filmed. 

Morehead, Kentucky, United States Of America

A significant portion of the crime action movie The Big Ugly was filmed in Kentucky, primarily in Morehead, Olive Hill, and Owingsville. The production team took eight weeks to complete the filming process. Principal photography began in the summer of 2018.

Several important scenes were filmed in the city of Morehead, which falls under Rowan County. It is pretty close to Cincinnati. The town features an idyllic landscape surrounded by the Appalachian mountains. After checking out several places in Kentucky, Director Scott Wiper and actor Vinnie Jones decided to shoot a portion of the film in Morehead. Initially, Wiper wanted to shoot in Ohio, but due to a lack of tax benefits there, he moved to Kentucky.

Olive Hill, Kentucky, United States Of America

The city of Olive Hill is situated northwest of Morehead. The scene where Harris meets Preston for the first time was filmed in Olive Hill. The bar scene where Harris asks for a drink was filmed on a built-in set. Olive Hill falls under Carter County, which is a dry county, so there are no bars there. The production team had to build one to shoot the scene from scratch. 

The oil farm scenes were filmed at an abandoned quarry in Olive Hill. The fight sequence between Neelyn and PJ was filmed around the quarry. 

Owingsville, Kentucky, United States Of America

Owingsville is a city that is situated west of Morehead and is a part of Bath County. The place is surrounded by open plains and wilderness, perfect for filming a noir movie. Scott Wiper shot in the city because of its distinctive and rustic charm. Not many films have been shot in the city of Owingsville. It is a part of the Mount Sterling micropolitan area and has a population of 1,530. 

Plot Of The Big Ugly (2020) | Sometimes Revenge Is The Only Option!

The story of The Big Ugly revolves around Harris, played by Malcolm McDowell. Harris is a British mob boss who launders his dirty money through investments in different companies. He invests much of his dirty money in an American oil company based in West Virginia. He deals with the company’s owner, Preston, played by Ron Pearlman, a local oil baron. 

Harris travels to America with his primary enforcer, Neelyn, played by Vinnie Jones, to check if Preston is serious about the whole deal. After signing the contract, Preston and Harris celebrate. Things get out of control when Neelyn’s girlfriend disappears. After finding her dead body, Neelyn suspects that Preston’s son PJ might be the killer.

Final Words

As you’re now aware of all the filming locations of The Big Ugly, it’s about time you start making a plan and check out the places in person. Keep in mind that the movie contains violent scenes, sexual content, strong language, and drug use, so make sure that nobody under 18 is allowed to watch it. If you haven’t seen the crime action movie yet, watch it soon. To read more filming location articles, watch the Viebly website.