The Livingston City Commission voted Saturday to temporarily suspend production of the Daily Wire film Pawn Shop in Livingston, Montana, after residents complained about disruptions to local businesses and the city’s only food bank. The Pawn Shop film suspension comes after a special city meeting where locals raised safety concerns and the Livingston Food Resource Center reported a 17% drop in pantry attendance due to filming.
The Livingston City Commission voted to suspend Bonfire Pawn Shop LLC’s permit immediately while its city attorney seeks a legal opinion on whether to amend, suspend or revoke it, according to Variety. The commission must report back by 5 p.m. on Oct. 5.
What locals said
Livingston residents raised concerns during Saturday’s special city meeting about feeling unsafe and about the Pawn Shop film’s effects on the community. City Commission member Cindy Daniels said the production company had “taken advantage of the situation to make their movie” without contributing to the city or supporting local veterans and the food resource center.
The Livingston Food Resource Center said in a Friday statement that road closures and armed security guards have created barriers for its clients, who “already face numerous obstacles to meeting their most basic needs.” Attendance at the pantry dropped 17% on Tuesday, according to Deadline, described as an “eight-week low” when the center typically serves 90 to 100 or more households daily.
Police Chief Wayne Hard said the department has received complaints “on a daily basis” since filming began, though no violence has been reported.
The production and what’s next
The Pawn Shop film, from Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend, was originally scheduled to film in downtown Livingston through Oct. 10.
The production is not under an IATSE contract, though it is under a “conditional start” with SAG-AFTRA. Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend have not responded to requests for comment about the suspension.
The Pawn Shop film synopsis reads: “When chaos hits the streets of Minneapolis, a young federal agent is left alone after his partner is seriously hurt and must find a way to survive an increasingly dangerous situation. Seeking shelter inside a neighborhood pawn shop, he becomes trapped with a traditional Hispanic father and his progressive college-age son, forcing three very different men to confront fear, conflicting beliefs and a crisis that tests their courage and humanity.”
The production has drawn scrutiny after reports indicated the Pawn Shop film includes a dramatization of a fatal ICE shooting. The film follows the production company’s previous collaboration on a separate project that also faced labor and safety concerns. Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend have not responded to requests for comment about the suspension.
Reporting from Variety and Deadline contributed to this story.
