When “Prison Break” announced in March it would resume filming a second season of the top-rated show June 15, the producers neglected to say where it would be filmed.
That the location will be Texas and not Chicago came as a shock to the 150-plus people involved in the production since last June.
The announcement was made Thursday morning by “Prison Break” producer and Texas resident Garry Brown to union and department heads on the set at Chicago Studio City.
Twenty-two episodes were shot in Chicago during the first season. Fox had repeatedly and publicly stated after a three month hiatus, show production would resume here for an additional nine episodes beginning in June.
Local 476 business agent Paul Oddo said they were told the change was script-driven. But the union also knew what was coming “as Fox never committed to negotiating a Season Two.”
Much of the popular series, in the vein of “The Great Escape,” was filmed at 147-year old Joliet Correctional Center. “Once they break out of prison, they don’t need a prison anymore,” Oddo said.
