Movie shoot to begin around Madison County Courthouse

EDWARDSVILLE — The Madison County Courthouse will be the backdrop for a scene in an upcoming Twentieth Century Fox film that starts shooting Thursday night.

Employees who arrived at work Thursday morning noticed at least a half-dozen tractor-trailers and other large trucks parked along Second Street and in the parking lot.

Production crews are setting up in preparation of shooting a scene for the movie, “The Empty Man.” Filming for the scene is expected to start around 10 p.m.

Earlier this month a location scout attended the Facilities Committee meeting requesting permission to use the courthouse for the movie.

James Syrek of Chicago said crews would be in the area for three days, which would also include filming at a house in Edwardsville and at the Chain of Rocks Bridge. He said the courthouse is being used as the exterior of a police station.

Crews expect to shoot overnight. The movie is set to star James Badge Dale and is based on Cullen Bunn’s graphic crime thriller about an ex-cop searching for a missing girl. David Prior adapted the screenplay.

Filming is expected to wrap before sunrise.