Sussex filming concludes on new comic book-themed thriller

By Phil Hewitt

Filming in Sussex has officially concluded on The Rebooted, a comic book-themed thriller marking the feature debut of Sussex-raised writer-director Matthew Rowney.

The production wrapped its woodland shoot at Downash Woods, where the cast and crew made use of the site’s distinctive tree cabins to bring the film’s vision to life.

The project boasts an ensemble cast, including Ian Beattie and Roxanne McKee, known for her role in Game of Thrones, alongside Andrew Lee Potts (Primeval), Stephanie Waring (Hollyoaks), Wilson James, and Amelia Flanagan (Emmerdale). Also featuring is Martins Imhangbe of Bridgerton fame.

The Sussex connection runs deep throughout the production, with a number of local filmmakers contributing to the project. Burgess Hill-based Red Roads Productions, led by Ollie Hopkins, handled lighting, while director of photography Joel Tucker, also from the south, worked closely with Matthew to shape the film’s visual identity.

The film was produced by Panchariya Brothers Productions, a newly established UK-based film studio headed by Dev Panchariya.

“Despite the completion of filming in Sussex, the production is not yet fully wrapped,” Matthew said. “A final block of shooting is scheduled to take place in London, after which the film will move into post-production.”

The Rebooted is expected to pursue a limited theatrical release, followed by a run on the festival circuit and eventual availability on streaming platforms.

Matthew said: “It’s been surreal seeing the realisation of my vision that I’ve crafted for so long take shape under this talented cast and crew. I'm incredibly grateful to Dev Panchariya and the company for making it a reality. I’m excited to share more over the coming months, but for now it’s into post-production.”

As Matthew explains: “A comic book thriller with a major narrative twist, The Rebooted explores the increasing influence of artificial intelligence on society while directly engaging with the current conversation around the struggles and evolution of the comic book movie genre. The film aims to deconstruct modern hero mythology, blending grounded suspense with genre commentary.

“This story is deeply personal to me, not just as a filmmaker making my first feature, but as someone who grew up loving comic books while watching the world rapidly change around technology. East Sussex felt like the perfect place to bring this story to life.

“The majority of my life I lived in Burgess Hill but I now live in Newhaven with my wife and three children. I've always been Sussex-based and my debut feature was always going to be in Sussex

“I have now been working in film for 15 years, and when AI entered the scene, the chat of a lot of my friends in visual effects was quite nervous about it and what its place was going to be and whether it would replace all of us. But I do think that there will always be room for the creative mind. I don't think you can ever replace that human element. I don't think you will ever replace the creatives.”

But AI provides a context for the film as does Matthew's love of comic books: “I grew up on them. I was a little bit of a rascal and didn’t want to read books and this was a way of getting me to read. I always loved the world-building and the escapism that you get in comic books that you didn't get in other genres.

“And I think over the last 20 years the stereotypical comic book has grown and now if you went to the cinema you would get couples and whole families watching them.”