Watch: Priyanka Chopra Jonas's 'adrenaline-fuelled' survival thriller gets gripping first look


The Bluff stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Karl Urban in a gritty survival thriller packed with sword fights, tactical traps and brutal brawls


Abby Allen
Abby AllenTV writer
3 minutes ago
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Calling all action-adventure fans! Prime Video has released a gripping first look at its upcoming survival thriller The Bluff, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and it's hitting screens sooner than you might think.

Directed by Frank E Flowers (Haven, Bob Marley: One Love), The Bluff follows Ercell, a skilled ex-pirate whose quiet life is shattered by the return of her vengeful former captain, played by Karl Urban. Set against "stunning" real-world locations in the Cayman Islands, Ercell must confront her "bloody" past in order to save her family.

If you're a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean and love a survival thriller led by a strong female protagonist, The Bluff is one for you. 

Not only does it promise to show Priyanka in a role you've never seen her in before, but it's also produced by the Russo brothers Anthony and Joe, whose work on hit blockbuster franchises like the Avengers, Extraction and Everything Everywhere All at Once ensures viewers will be kept in safe hands.  

What is The Bluff about?

Promising a slew of sword fights, tactical traps and bloody brawls, the movie centres around Ercell "Bloody Mary" Bodden (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). Despite her dark and violent past, we find the former pirate settled into her tranquil life in the Cayman Islands with her loving husband T.H. (Ismael Cruz Cordova), their son Isaac (Vedanten Naidoo) and her sister-in-law Elizabeth (Safia Oakley-Green). 

The official synopsis continues: "But when her notorious former captain, Connor (Karl Urban), arrives seeking revenge, Ercell's world is torn apart. Forced to confront the demons she's tried to bury, Ercell is thrust back into a deadly game of secrets and survival. 

Ercell (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Captain Connor (Karl Urban) in The Bluff© Paul Abell
Ercell (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Captain Connor (Karl Urban) in The Bluff

"Armed with lethal swordsmanship, cunning traps and a fierce will to protect those she loves, she wages a brutal war against Connor's merciless crew. Ercell's fight to save her family becomes a journey of redemption, as she reclaims her power and embraces the warrior she once was. 

"Against the breathtaking backdrop of the Cayman Brac's Skull Cave and towering bluffs, producers Anthony and Joe Russo present The Bluff; a gritty, adrenaline-fueled action-adventure about family, survival, and the indomitable strength of a mother's love."

Elizabeth (Safia Oakley-Green, left), Ercell (Priyanka Chopra Jonas, center) and Isaac (Vedanten Naidoo, right) © Courtesy of Amazon Content Servi
Elizabeth (Safia Oakley-Green, left), Ercell (Priyanka Chopra Jonas, center) and Isaac (Vedanten Naidoo, right)

Who stars in The Bluff?

Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Citadel, Barfi!, Isn't It Romantic) leads the film as Ercell, while Karl Urban (Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) plays her former captain. 

They're joined by Safia Oakley-Green (100 Nights of Hero, The Lazarus Project), Vedanten Naidoo (Suzume), Temuera Morrison (Chief of War) and Ismael Cruz Cordova (The Pickup, Mary Queen of Scots).

Quartermaster Lee (Temuera Morrison, left) and Captain Connor (Karl Urban, right) © Courtesy of Amazon Content Servi
Quartermaster Lee (Temuera Morrison, left) and Captain Connor (Karl Urban, right)

What has Priyanka Chopra Jonas said about The Bluff?

Judging by the trailer, in which we see Priyanka's Ercell taking on multiple burly men in a tense fight scene, it's safe to say that this role could be one of the actress's most physically demanding yet. 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars as Ercell© Paul Abell
Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars as Ercell

Reflecting on her time on set, the 43-year old told Vogue India: "I'd been filming for The Bluff since May and I was working six days a week. If we weren't shooting nights, I would wake up most days between 4:30 and 5am. I worked 12 hours, came home, ate dinner, played with my daughter, caught up with my mom or other work, went to sleep, then woke up the next day and did it all over again."

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Despite her hectic schedule, the actress is excited for audiences to see her in a genre that feels new to her. "What I loved about this movie from the jump was how unique and clutter-breaking it is," she said. "It's redefining the pirate genre, which itself is very stereotyped, so that's exciting. Also, filming in Australia was absolutely beautiful. The local crew, the people, the locations were all so nice."

The Bluff lands on Prime Video on 25 February.

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