The Story Behind the Scenes

An action movie with global stars, fast cars and an exotic location is nothing new.

But the politics behind the scenes of The Misfits, a recent high-octane movie release, reveals its own story – one of producer power struggles, money, influence, politics, and an apparent attempt to tarnish the reputation of a country.

Production on the film began while Qatar was under a blockade by four of its Arab neighbours, including the UAE. When a new Abu Dhabi-based producer took over financing The Misfits, the story, location and focus shifted from a Caribbean crime caper to one involving Qatar and a “terror” plot. Then real political events overtook the fiction, so a watered-down version of the movie was hastily made and released – still with some lingering Qatar references.

This investigation explores the lengths taken to try and alter the public perception of Qatar through the production of an adventure movie. It asks: Why was so much money and effort spent on this project? Who was really behind it? And how much damage can a film like this – even in its revised version – inflict?