Sweet Girl - What We Know So Far

With Netflix spending over $17 billion on programming in 2020 (via Statista), it's no surprise that the world's leading streaming service is constantly releasing new content, as it looks to maintain its dominance over competitors like Amazon and Disney+. In May alone, Netflix is scheduled to debut nearly two dozen new series and films, in addition to new seasons of existing shows (via Thrillist). And as the summer months continue, Netflix intends to keep the new releases coming.

Over the next few months, Netflix will release a slew of movies from a variety of genres. For instance, rom-com fans can look forward to "He's All That," while there will also be Liam Neeson's "The Ice Road" for those who enjoy the actor's particular set of skills, as well as "Trollhunters: Rise Of The Titans" for fans of animation. Other entries include romantic dramas, horrors, and documentaries (via Decider). 

For action fans, one upcoming film — "Sweet Girl" — seems poised to provide the high octane thrills that summer movies are known for.

Netflix first announced its acquisition of the revenge movie "Sweet Girl" in July 2019, with filming getting underway in November 2019 before wrapping in the early months of 2020. 

Much of the filming was done in and around Pittsburgh, PA. Local news reported filming at a home improvement store called Do It Best, located in Ambridge, PA, which closed its doors to customers for the shoot. Other Pittsburgh shooting locations include PNC Park, home to baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates. For that scene, production brought in "a throng of paid extras" (via The Times). The Times also reported that Boulevard Automotive Center in Big Beaver, about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, was used to film a murder scene. 

While unconfirmed, it's likely that last year's COVID shutdowns delayed the release of "Sweet Girl," hence why it hasn't yet come out. On May 1, 2021, Netflix finally announced that "Sweet Girl" would premiere on Friday, August 20.

For "Sweet Girl," the producers put together an exciting cast list, headed by a bankable DCEU star: Jason Momoa. 

Momoa, of course, is best known for the role of Aquaman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Justice League," and "Aquaman." In "Sweet Girl," Momoa plays Cooper, a widower on a mission. Isabela Merced, who most recently starred in "Dora and the Lost City of Gold," will play his daughter, Rachel.

The rest of the cast includes several familiar faces and names, though their exact roles are not yet known. In late 2019, Variety reported that Marisa Tomei had joined the cast. Amy Brenneman, best known for "Judging Amy" and "The Leftovers," signed on as well, as did Justin Bartha from "The Good Fight" and Raza Jaffrey of "Lost in Space." According to IMDb, Dominic Fumusa, who starred opposite Edie Falco in "Nurse Jackie," and Nelson Franklin from "New Girl," are also set to appear in the film.

In "Sweet Girl," Jason Momoa plays Cooper, a grieving father seeking revenge for his wife's death. As he hunts the people he believes responsible for her demise, Cooper must protect his daughter, Rachel. 

Not much else is known about the revenge thriller's story, which was written by Philip Eisner, Gregg Hurwitz, and Will Staples. Netflix has yet to release a trailer for the film, though with August fast approaching, we can expect a trailer to arrive in the near future. Some scenes from "Sweet Girl" did appear in a Netflix sizzle reel promoting its 2021 lineup. One quick scene shows Momoa engaging in an intense fight scene on a subway. 

Meanwhile, settling into the director's chair for the first time in his career is Brian Andrew Mendoza. "Sweet Girl" marks a reunion between long-time friends Momoa and Mendoza, who produced the Momoa-led movies "Road to Paloma" and "Braven," as well as the Netflix series "Frontier." 

As more information is released, stay tuned to Looper, and we'll keep you up to date.