Where was Flight Risk filmed? All filming locations explored

Released in theaters on January 24, 2025, Flight Risk marks Mel Gibson's return to directing after nearly a decade. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, and Topher Grace, the action-thriller made $12 million in its opening weekend, securing the top spot at the domestic box office.

The movie follows U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris (Dockery) tasked with escorting an informant, Winston (Grace), to testify against the Moretti crime family. Things take a deadly turn when their pilot, "Daryl Booth" (Wahlberg), reveals himself as a hitman assigned to kill them.

The trio is stuck on a small private plane flying over Alaska, with the marshal and informant fighting for their lives while trying to land the plane safely. With a plot packed with deception, midair fights, and high-stakes survival, the film builds tension throughout its 90-minute runtime.

Flight Risk was filmed in multiple locations, including Las Vegas and Mesquite, Nevada, where key scenes were shot in studio settings and open desert landscapes.

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Filming locations of Flight Risk

Flight Risk (Image via Lionsgate Films)

The filming of Flight Risk took place across multiple locations, chosen to emphasize the remote and treacherous nature of the story. Principal photography began in Las Vegas, Nevada, in June 2023, with key indoor scenes shot on studio sets, as reported by ScreenRant.

These controlled environments were used to recreate the tight, claustrophobic interiors of the small airplane featured throughout the film. The production team built a detailed replica of the plane, complete with functional hydraulics, to ensure realistic action sequences.

In July 2023, the crew moved to Mesquite, Nevada, where exterior shots were filmed over two days, as per an August 2023 interview of Mark Wahlberg with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. This area was selected for its open landscapes and desert-like surroundings, which provided a stark contrast to the film’s later Alaskan settings.

The Alaskan wilderness, which plays a central role in the movie’s plot, was captured on location. Several sequences were shot in real Alaskan settings to add authenticity. These included aerial shots of snow-covered mountains and remote stretches of wilderness. The breathtaking yet dangerous environment underscored the sense of isolation that drives much of the tension in the movie.

Despite the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, the production received special approval to continue filming, ensuring the project stayed on schedule. Filming wrapped in August 2023, completing the movie’s diverse location work.

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What is the Flight Risk about?

Flight Risk (Image via Lionsgate Films)

Flight Risk centers on U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris, played by Michelle Dockery, as she transports Winston, an accountant turned informant (Topher Grace), from a remote Alaskan hideout to New York. Winston is set to testify against the Moretti crime family, making him a high-value target.

To get them out of Alaska, Madolyn charters a private plane piloted by Daryl Booth, played by Mark Wahlberg, a Texan pilot living in the area. Early in the flight, Winston becomes suspicious of Daryl after spotting a pilot’s license with a photo that doesn’t match him.

Winston’s fears are confirmed when Daryl reveals himself as a hitman sent to kill him. After subduing Daryl with a taser, Madolyn takes control of the plane, despite having no prior flying experience.

She uses a satellite phone to contact her superior, Caroline Van Sant (voiced by Leah Remini), who instructs her to keep Winston alive. Things take a turn when Madolyn begins to suspect that Caroline might be connected to the Moretti crime family. This suspicion deepens after contacting Director Coleridge (Paul Ben-Victor), who inadvertently reveals his own involvement with the mob.

Meanwhile, the incapacitated Daryl escapes his restraints and attacks Winston and Madolyn, leading to tense and bloody fights aboard the small plane. With guidance from a ground-based pilot named Hasan (voiced by Maaz Ali), Madolyn manages to keep the plane in the air. After several confrontations, she fatally shoots Daryl during the landing, and he falls from the plane to his death.

The tension doesn’t end there. On the ground, Madolyn stops a corrupt officer from killing Winston in an ambulance, exposing Coleridge’s betrayal. The film ends with Madolyn vowing to bring down everyone connected to the Moretti crime family.

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Watch Flight Risk in your nearest theaters.