In the dark depths of the North Sea, 262 feet below the surface, a catastrophic equipment failure severed saturation diver Chris Lemons’ lifeline to his support vessel in September 2012. With only minutes of emergency oxygen, Lemons faced almost certain death as his colleagues Duncan Allcock and Dave Yuasa raced against impossible odds to save him. This extraordinary true story of survival and heroism forms the backbone of Focus Features’ upcoming thriller “Last Breath,” directed by Alex Parkinson and starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole.
The film’s journey to the screen began with Parkinson’s critically acclaimed 2019 documentary of the same name, which caught the attention of producers Paul and David Brooks. “I was totally mesmerized by it,” Paul Brooks recalls. “It’s about the best of humanity and how people just won’t give up. I think that’s just incredibly compelling.” The documentary’s success inspired Brooks to approach Parkinson about directing a narrative adaptation.
“This is the story I’ve lived with for ten years now, and I know it inside out,” Parkinson explains of his decision to helm the feature. “It was such a vast canvas I could paint the story on, much bigger than the documentary.” Working with writers Mitchell LaFortune and David Brooks, Parkinson crafted a screenplay that expanded on the documentary while maintaining its authenticity. “I aimed to do more than just remake the documentary,” Parkinson says. “I wanted to tell this remarkable story on the grandest scale possible, and explore new dimensions of the characters’ emotional journeys.“
The project’s exceptional story attracted an equally impressive cast. Harrelson, who previously collaborated with producer Paul Brooks on “Champions,” didn’t hesitate to sign on. “Once I saw the documentary, I was already in,” Harrelson remembers. “I think the documentary speaks for itself. People love it. I loved it. It sure made me want to be a part of this.“
Harrelson’s involvement created a domino effect in casting. “When Woody came in, we went straight to Simu, and he answered straight away as well,” Paul Brooks recalls. “And then Finn signed on to play the role of Chris Lemons a couple of weeks after that.“
For “Shang-Chi” and “Barbie” star Simu Liu, the appeal lay in both the compelling narrative and the unfamiliar world it depicted. “When I watched it, I was absolutely taken aback by not only the story but also the introduction to the world of saturation diving, which was unlike anything that I had ever known,” Liu says. “And then I learned that Alex Parkinson, who directed the documentary, was also doing the adaptation, and I thought, ‘Well, I’m definitely in.‘”
“Peaky Blinders” actor Finn Cole, who portrays Chris Lemons, had coincidentally seen the documentary before receiving the script. “I’d seen the documentary a year or so before and loved it. I was into diving beforehand, so the doc got me excited for the movie. I was really intrigued to see how this would translate into film,” says Cole.
Production began in February 2023 in the North Sea aboard the actual ship where the real events took place, before moving to Malta’s renowned water tanks in March. The production assembled an international crew from Malta, England, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Australia, and many other countries.
The film’s underwater sequences presented unique challenges that required extensive preparation. Prior to filming, Cole and Liu undertook intensive scuba training at Malta Film Studios. “Diving in the film had to be entirely authentic, with no dry-for-wet techniques, which placed significant demands on Simu and Finn,” explains Parkinson.
Liu, who already had recreational diving experience, embraced the opportunity: “When I heard about this movie and what the preparation process would be, I was honestly really excited. Three weeks where you’re doing nothing but scuba diving? That sounds like a dream.“
Cole also had some scuba experience but acknowledged the significant learning curve. “Saturation diving involves a big, heavy helmet, and it’s a completely different system to scuba diving with the regulator in the mask. With this helmet on, everything changes in the water,” Cole explains. “That has been a challenge, but one that I’ve really enjoyed taking on.“
The actors trained under dive supervisor Abigail Borg, whose father had coincidentally been a North Sea saturation diver. After their basic training, Cole and Liu had to adapt to the specialized saturation diving equipment, including complex helmet systems and umbilical connectors to surface air supplies.
“These are the best of the best,” Liu enthuses about the diving team. “I felt fully taken care of every step of the way. But I also fell in love with being underwater, with the sensation of weightlessness, with just drifting freely and observing the world around me.“
One of the greatest technical challenges was designing authentic, safe, and functional helmet systems. The production team collaborated with Italian company DRASS, using their D-One helmet as a baseline and retrofitting it with production needs in mind. “We had to design helmets and dive suits that would not only protect them, but also light their faces and show their performance, truly conveying to the audience that these guys were underwater doing this,” says executive producer Dan Clifton.
Production designer Grant Montgomery focused on creating sets that showcased the contrasts inherent in saturation diving. “For me, this project was all about scale—I aimed to create sets that showcased the contrasts in the world of saturation diving,” Montgomery explains. “The vast spaces on the support vessels and the infinite open water at the bottom of the sea starkly contrasted with the claustrophobic, restrictive spaces that commercial divers occupy.“
Montgomery manufactured a bell interior suspended over a custom-built pool and an additional four-ton set suspended from a seventy-meter crane arm, allowing the bell to move realistically in the water. The bridge set presented both the greatest challenges and rewards, combining metalwork from Malta, consoles dressed by electricians from Berlin, and screen graphics from a UK-based firm.
During production, the real-life divers—Dave Yuasa, Duncan Allcock, and Chris Lemons—visited the set, offering invaluable insights to the actors and filmmakers. Liu was particularly moved by meeting Yuasa: “There’s such a stoicism about him, and a very pragmatic, almost emotionless side of him. I was really excited to meet him because, knowing what he went through, knowing what he did on the day and in real life, I knew that there was just an incredible person behind this facade of a stoic, seasoned veteran.“
The visit from Lemons proved especially impactful for Cole. “Feeling the warmth and energy from Chris was something that I really wanted to replicate,” says Cole.
Harrelson formed an immediate connection with Allcock. “Well, it was a cool thing to meet the real Duncan,” says Harrelson. “I had already heard that he was literally just one of the most beloved people. Everybody loves him. Then you meet him, and you get why, because he is really such an interesting, funny, cool, smart guy.“
While aiming for authenticity, Harrelson made creative choices to capture Allcock’s essence rather than mimicking specifics like his accent. “I did fictionalize Duncan because he’s not American. In this case, the essence of the person is what’s important,” Harrelson explains. “I think the essence of it is that there’s a real winning quality to him, and that his coworkers love him. He’s a great professional, but he gets the job done. He makes it fun for everybody.“
Throughout filming, Parkinson maintained a focus on emotional truth alongside technical accuracy. “I felt this responsibility to keep it as true to the reality of what happened as possible,” Parkinson says. “I want these people to be represented properly, because they did an incredible thing on that night.“
The actors appreciated Parkinson’s directing style, which balanced technical precision with emotional guidance. “With Alex, every single prop, every single thing has been dressed into that chamber,” Liu comments. “It’s so freeing as a performer to be able to have someone like that to rely on. Even though he’s an experienced documentarian, he’s really incredible at working with actors as well.“
After completing their intensive work in Malta, the production moved to Scotland for a final week of filming, including scenes along the coast and on a real dive support vessel fresh from North Sea operations. Through all phases of production, Parkinson and his team remained unified in their commitment to honoring the extraordinary story of Lemons, Yuasa, and Allcock.
For the filmmakers and cast, “Last Breath” transcends the specific events it portrays to celebrate universal themes of courage, teamwork, and perseverance. “I think that’s just such an incredible story,” says Liu. “It’s such an honor to be a part of it and to get to tell it. For me, the enduring message of Last Breath is that of hope, perseverance and never giving up.“
The film, which runs 92 minutes, will be released by Focus Features on February 28, 2025, offering audiences a heart-pounding yet inspiring glimpse into one of the most remarkable survival stories in modern history.
