Heads of State, action movie starring Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, directed by Ilya Naishuller and produced by Amazon MGM Studios, will be available on Prime Video from July 2.
Filmed in the summer of 2023, Heads of State combines action, tension, and humour with a story of two world leaders in open conflict: the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Idris Elba) and the President of the United States (John Cena). Their personal and political rivalry threatens to undermine the two nations’ geopolitical balance.
Filming took place in Trieste, which appears as itself, with locations including: Porto Vecchio, the Rive, Ponterosso, Cavana, Via Cattedrale, San Giusto, and Piazza Unità d'Italia, with the Palazzo della Regione serving as the UN headquarters.
A special scene was planned for Muggia; it was to be transformed into a Spanish village for the famous Tomatina (Tomato Battle). Everything was ready for filming, but the scene was canceled at the last minute because of the Hollywood actors' strike.
The Generali Convention Center of Trieste was used for the production headquarters for several weeks, and to create numerous special effects including the "transformation" of six presidential limousines.
The production included approximately 50 local workers, generating economic benefits and helping to boost audiovisual expertise in the sector. Direct expenditure in Trieste was €1 million.