Movies based on real-life tragedies can always have a certain weight to them that makes the events unfolding all the more tense. In 2009, four friends on a fishing trip were stranded 70 miles off the coast when their boat capsized during a really bad storm. When the boat was found 43 hours later, only one of the men remained. The story depicted in Joe Carnahan’s Not Without Hope is harrowing and truly something nightmares are made of for anyone who’s ever been out on the ocean. I know this exact scenario is a reason I get panic attacks whenever I’m out on a boat. My mind immediately goes to the absolute worst-case scenario and I’m sure others would agree. My review for the film comes out later this week, so keep an eye out for that.
I was able to chat with the main cast that includes Zachary Levi, Quentin Plair, Terrence Terrell, and Marshall Cook all about their experience making the movie. Not only did they spend a majority of their time in a raging water tank, but it was also at night, making for a very disorienting time filming. Not to mention the gravity of knowing that this is what happened to these people in real life. Outside of Levi, who portrayed survivor Nick Schuyler, the others didn’t have the benefit of being able to talk to their counterpart. So we get into what kind of research they went into for their roles and what resources they had available to them. This was an interesting chat, so make sure to check it out in the video above!
Not Without Hope plot:
Not Without Hope tells the harrowing true story of a tragic 2009 fishing trip taken by four friends — Nick Schuyler (Zachary Levi) and Will Bleakley (Marshall Cook), former University of South Florida football teammates, and NFL players Marquis Cooper (Quentin Plair) and Corey Smith (Terrence Terrell) — who are stranded at sea 70 miles off the coast of Clearwater, Florida after their boat capsizes. With the storm of the century fast approaching, the four friends are left to battle hypothermia, dehydration and the unrelenting elements in a fight for survival. As anxious families hold out hope for a miracle, U.S. Coast Guard Captain Timothy Close (Josh Duhamel) marshals every asset at his disposal to find the four men, resulting in the dramatic rescue of Schuyler 43 hours later.
Not Without Hope is playing In Theaters on December 12th, 2025.
