The UB Interview: Director Ric Roman Waugh Talks ‘Shelter’

The exciting new action thriller film “Shelter,” is exclusively in theaters!

“Shelter” stars Jason Statham, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Naomi Ackie, and Academy Award nominee Bill Nighy.

On a remote coastal island, a reclusive man (Statham) rescues a young girl (Breathnach) from a deadly storm, drawing them both into danger.

Forced out of isolation, he must confront his turbulent past while protecting her, sending them on a tense journey of survival and redemption.

“Shelter” is produced by Black Bear, Punch Palace Pictures, CineMachine, and Stampede Ventures.

Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, known for his work from “Greenland” and “Angel Has Fallen.”

Aries from UB caught up with Ric Roman Waugh to talk about the new film “Shelter.”

Ric Roman Waugh shares why he wanted to bring the story to film and how Jason approached him to do the film.

Plus he talks about his experience of working with the talented cast, what’s next and more!

UrbanBridgez.com: Start by telling everybody about the new film, Shelter, and what viewers can expect?
Ric Roman Waugh: Shelter is about a man who’s this mysterious figure living in an abandoned lighthouse. And it looks like he’s been there for many years trying to get through the day. And he saves this young girl from the sea and finds that she’s just another version of a lost soul like he is. And they find family in one another. Until we realize that he has been wanted for a number of years by the people he used to work for. And they’ve come to kill him. And so it’s about how to shelter this young girl and keep her out of harm’s way in that dark cloud that follows him. And we go on this harrowing journey. But what’s great about it is you get to see Jason Statham, the big action star that we love. But you get a really fresh new version of him where you’re getting reminded of what an amazing actor he is. And go on this harrowing journey with them where you get this heartfelt story within a big action ride.

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah, that’s really a good story because it’s so different. There’s a lot of familiar elements. But as a whole, it’s a very different story. How did you get involved with the project as far as in wanting to bring it to a film?
Ric Roman Waugh: I was lucky that Jason called me directly. We’ve been wanting to work together. And he told me about this great script that he found and was super passionate about it. And the minute I read it, I got it. I knew that this was your cake and eat it too. It’s what I try to do of take on genres that they might have been other movies that feel very familiar. But the way that the movies constructed this story, it’s very fresh and different. And that’s what I loved about this was it was a new and fresh version of a Jason Statham film, but not robbing you of the big action ride that we love from him.

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah, I like that. And then talk a bit about working with the cast. You talked a bit about Jason. And what was the experience like for you working with them in that type of environment?
Ric Roman Waugh: First of all, I love Naomi. She’s just an amazing actress. And to work with Bill Nye, he was such a pleasure. And then this young, great talent of Bodhi Rae Breathnach, we’ll be seeing a lot of her. So it was an amazing experience to have an ensemble like this around Jason that were all just the top of their game and bringing different parts of the bigger theme of justice. What is justice today? Where’s our line in the sand and our own morality and society’s morality? And in the world today, we feel like that’s gone astray a bit. The movie tackles a lot of those same issues in a way that you get to escape for two hours at the movies, but you’re having a conversation afterwards about what the movie was trying to convey.

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah, I like that because it leads into my next question because I was going to ask, what, if anything, would you like people personally to take away from the film after they watch it?
Ric Roman Waugh: I would hope they had a great time at the movies and that they really loved and appreciated these characters and were gut-punched in moments and cheered for them and others and hopefully leaving with a smile on their face and having a conversation about what the movie was trying to say about not only how we all live in our own versions of exile and isolation and reminded how much we need each other. But also, those thematic threads of justice. What is justice today? Surveillance and Over watch and all the different things that we’re kind of playing with in there. Where’s your line in the sand? I’m never trying to cast my opinion or tell you how to solve issues. It’s just more of showing everything works at all so that you can have a discussion about it and out of discussion, hopefully solutions happen.

UrbanBridgez.com: Definitely. Well, you’ve answered this question with your responses, but tell everybody in your own words why they need to go and check out “Shelter,” only in theaters.
Ric Roman Waugh: Because this movie is built for the cinematic experience. It’s a big kick-ass ride, but one that punches you in the gut with great emotion and where you fall in love with these two characters the way that I would have. And it’s a great day at the movies, especially to get out of the cold and go and live vicariously through others and forget about the world’s problems for a couple hours. Go have fun in “Shelter.”

UrbanBridgez.com: I love it. And then before we wrap, what’s next for you?
Ric Roman Waugh: We’ll see. I’m circling a few things and Jason and I definitely want to work together again. So we’ve been talking about a number of projects and we’ll see what shapes up.