What happened when the cameras were off

John Krasinski had a “Milsim” moment

During the night shoot in Malta, Krasinski admitted that one of the rooftop scenes affected him more than expected. Not because of the action, but because of the silence between attacks.

He explained that after several takes, the crew stood in total pause, surrounded only by smoke and debris from the set. In that moment, he said he stopped feeling like he was “in a movie” and started thinking about what the men they were portraying had actually lived through. 

Pablo Schreiber ended up with minor burns from blank fire

Pablo Schreiber suffered small burns from the intensive use of weapons firing blank ammunition during night scenes. 
The takes were repeated with realistic fire and long bursts. The heat building up in the weapon eventually took its toll. It wasn’t serious, but it was uncomfortable enough for the technical team to review distances and timing. 

James Badge Dale became obsessed with his character

James Badge Dale spent weeks speaking with the real Tyrone Woods before filming began. 
The level of detail was such that he even asked to replicate small personal gestures and specific ways of communicating over the radio. In several interviews, he said he felt a much stronger emotional responsibility than in other projects. 

The set turned into an oven

Filming in Malta, under high temperatures and wearing full tactical gear, was brutal. 
Several cast members ended up dehydrated during night shoots that lasted over 12 hours. The plate carrier, helmet, and weapons were not lightweight prop versions: they weighed like real equipment. 
The exhaustion you see on their faces in the second half of the siege… is real. 

There were extras with real military experience

Some of the extras appearing as security personnel and militiamen had prior military experience. 
They were not improvised “background actors.” Some helped correct movements and positioning during filming breaks, adding details that ultimately stayed in the movie.