Cop Car Explodes, Ethan Hawke Struts Around And Ed Harris Can’t Throw A Grenade – Photos From The “Cymbeline” Filming In Sheepshead Bay

More than 100 people gathered yesterday to gawk at Hollywood using our neighborhood as the backdrop for a “battle in an urban wasteland.” The big budget film Cymbeline stars Ethan Hawke, Mila Jovovich and Ed Harris in a modern-day retelling of the William Shakespeare play of the same name. Only Hawke and Harris were on-scene yesterday, filming a shootout that climaxed with the explosion of a cop car.

Most of the people stood around for hours as set guys milled about, readying props and preparing shots, for what ultimately turned out to be little more than a few minutes of actual action. A shootout was filmed in the morning. Then they recorded a few blasts ripping into the windshield of the cop car. Ed Harris, rifle in hand, took a few attempts to lob a grenade under the cop car while standing in the doorway of the Burger King (2481 Knapp Street). Finally, the day ended after the car’s doors and hood were rigged with explosives and blasted off just after 5:00 p.m.

Some spectators stood around after the show and got to see Ethan Hawke strut around. He spent most of the day inside the Burger King’s interior, which we’re told was revamped for the movie. They made no changes to the exterior or Knapp Street to make it look like a wasteland. Go figure.

Since no one sent us video of the explosion – and we were only taking photos – we stitched together a few shots taken by East Coast Images into an animated GIF below. Just imagine there being a loud “pop” at the end of the first frame, and it’s just like you were there.

Here are more photos from the set, some from us, and others contributed by Neil Friedman, Dano NYC/East Coast Images, Howard Simon and Caryn Elizabeth Rafi. Thanks to all those who sent in photos!