Former Malaga prison fills with explosions and action for the filming of Disney series Far Cry

The shoot marks the first Hollywood production so far this year, starring Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire and Reservoir Dogs) at the head of the cast.

Filming, for which rehearsals began on Monday, will run until 26 September. The call sheet includes action scenes, gunfire and controlled explosions, according to the Málaga Film Office.

With this new production, the former prison has cemented its status as the city's premier filming location, as it is one of the few facilities of its kind available with its cells, bars, walls and courtyards in such good condition.

It is an attractive alternative for prison-themed films and series, as prisons currently in use do not allow filming inside their premises for security reasons.

Just a month ago, the Cruz de Humilladero prison hosted another film shoot: the Andalusian film Veleta, directed by Paco Torres, which tells the story of the footballer Nita Carmona, who, in the 1920s, disguised herself as a man to play for Sporting de Málaga and Vélez CF.

The art and set design teams have been working for a few weeks at the old prison to prepare it for Far Cry. They have even knocked through a couple of holes in the outer perimeter wall. It is therefore likely that a prison break or similar action scene will be filmed there over the coming weeks.

The municipal film commission, Málaga Film Office, has reported that sequences involving explosions and thick smoke will have an impact on daily life in the area.

The producers have warned resident that test explosions will take place on 9 and 10 September, from approximately 5pm, while the filming of the main scenes involving these effects and equipment will last for three days, 19-21 September.

They have also set up a three-tone system to give advance warning before the loudest noises occur, with the aim of preventing people from being startled or alarmed. There will also be drones in the area, filming the action from above.

Canary Islands-based production support company Sur Film (Fantastic Four: First Steps and Wonder Woman 1984) leads the production of the series in Malaga.

The shoot involves a large convoy of trailers and lorries, as well as a large crew of approximately 350 people, including specialists in special effects and controlled explosions.

The large fleet of lorries also requires a large number of parking spaces. This will result in traffic restrictions on the streets near the former prison.

Once filming of the series has finished, work will begin on dismantling the equipment and sets, which could continue until 10 October, followed by the cleaning and restoration of the area. Meanwhile, public parking areas will be restored from 26 September.

Far Cry is the first major production following the agreement between the FX channel and Ubisoft to adapt the company's video games. At the helm of this production are showrunners Noah Hawley, creator of the series Alien: Earth (also on FX) and Fargo, and Rob Mac, creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, who will also be joining the cast alongside Steve Buscemi and Lizzy Caplan (Cobweb and Zero Day).

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