“I think we got very cynical as a movie-going public”: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe on The Lost City at London premiere

If years of the pandemic and the stresses of the world we currently live in have gotten on top of you, then look no further than The Lost City for a much-needed pick-me-up. Think a Frankenstein-esque reincarnation of the action comedies of yesteryear, with the loose story of Romancing the Stone, the irreverent tone of The Princess Bride and the romantic adventure of The Mummy, thrown into the jungle world of Jumanji. Then, to really make it pop, you have at its centre one of the all-time best comedy actresses we all grew up watching, Sandra Bullock, channelling some of her Miss Congeniality charm as the smart woman reluctantly donning bright pink evening wear (in this case, a wedgy-inducing sequined jumpsuit) as romance novelist Loretta Sage, ridiculously-built pin-up poster boy Channing Tatum, leaning further into his superficial good looks than he did in Magic Mike as Loretta’s cover star and self-confessed himbo. Add to the mix Daniel Radcliffe, far removed from his days as Harry Potter, here playing a kind of non-evil genius who kidnaps Loretta to try and hunt down the lost city for real, setting in train a jungle adventure the writer had only ever imagined in her books. If that weren’t enough, a bonus cameo from Brad Pitt as a kind of real-life action ken doll with a hippy sensibility and impressive mane of hair is the icing on the cake.

All is very meta and fun-loving, at once a bit of a joke but all the same, the stakes are raised and you find yourself genuinely invested in this tropical action-adventure and very much rooting for the unlikely yet somehow inevitable romance at its heart to blossom. Perhaps it’s to do with fatigue with the endless procession of CGI-heavy superhero films that trail out of the cinema these days, but the retro feel to this movie feels just the ticket.

We had the privilege of speaking to the stars and creatives at the premiere in London’s Leicester Square about the making of the film.

The ever-stunning Bullock explained the desire to make a film with the old-school feel of Romancing the Stone and The Princess Bride, as well as how her and Tatum kept the comedy coming through even the most challenging scenes and managed to stay friends through the filming and beyond. She told us: “I think we got very cynical as a movie-going public…turns out that joy is important and laughing with other people is important. Would this film have been received this way before the pandemic? If I had to bet, probably not. But the timing was perfect.”

Tatum told us why he wanted to be involved with the film, his fireside banter with Bullock plus whether he hung onto his long-haired wig after the shoot…

Radcliffe then shared the joy of playing the villain, how he grew up on Bullock movies and how for him The Lost City has something of the essence of The Mummy.

The directors, Adam and Aaron Nee, then spoke about why they wanted to make the film, what it was like working with their all-star cast and how they are getting on with the Masters of the Universe reboot.

Producer Liza Chasin gave us an insight into the making of the movie, casting Radcliffe as the villain and how the film plays with gender role reversal.

Sarah Bradbury

The Lost City is released nationwide on 13^th April 2022.

Watch the trailer for The Lost City here: