John Travolta movie filmed in Columbus not on city screens. But local theater will show it

For the second time this year, a feature movie filmed in Columbus will be shown in theaters across the nation but not in Columbus.

But like an action hero, a local cinema company again has swooped in to produce a happy ending.

Last month, the spokesman for Kansas-based AMC Theatres, which owns the movie houses in Columbus, told the Ledger-Enquirer it was the film distributor’s strategy that decided where “The Neon Highway,” starring Beau Bridges, would be shown.

Now, the reason “Cash Out,” starring John Travolta, won’t be shown in Columbus theaters is because the movie is being released via online streaming and video-on-demand platforms at the same time, which AMC doesn’t allow in its theaters, AMC vice president for corporate communications Ryan Noonan told the Ledger-Enquirer.

But just like he did with “The Neon Highway,” Lucas Cinemas president Jim Lucas worked to obtain the rights to show “Cash Out” in his Columbus-based company’s theater at the adjacent U.S. Army post Fort Moore.

“It’s important to us because we are part of the community,” he told the L-E. “We’re a local company. Not only do we think it’s going to be a great movie, but we also want to support the filming of the product here in the Columbus area and those that participated and give everybody in the community an opportunity to see it on the big screen.”

Also similar to the deal with “The Neon Highway,” Lucas has the rights to show “Cash Out,” which opens April 26, for only one week, but he can extend the stay if ticket sales indicate such audience interest. Tickets for “The Neon Highway” indeed sold enough for its stay to be extended another week, he said.

All of which are minor frustrations for Clint Tyra and George Woods of Columbus, who are coworkers as analysts at Aflac. They appear in “Cash Out” as background actors.

Sure, having to stop at a security checkpoint to enter Fort Moore is a bit of a hassle, but they are just thankful to Lucas for showing the movie so they can gather family and friends to see themselves on the big screen in a film with Hollywood stars, such as Travolta, Kristin Davis, Lukas Haas and Quavo.

“We just can’t get over it,” Tyra told the L-E. “We’re so glad we can actually go see it in a theater.”

“I’m super stoked,” Woods told the L-E. “… After we saw the trailer, we were really excited. With how much everything gets cut, I didn’t know if I was going to make it into the movie, let alone into the trailer.”

“Cash Out” is about a thief who attempts the biggest heist of his career. The bank robbery goes wrong when he and his brother are trapped inside, surrounded by law enforcement — and the lead negotiator is his ex-lover.

Woods plays a bodyguard for a high-powered lawyer, and Tyra plays a security guard at a bank, where the scenes were filmed at the Synovus Bank on Broadway in downtown Columbus. They are background actors, so they don’t have speaking parts, but Tyra’s wife, Alex, has a line in the movie while playing one of the hostages.

The Ledger-Enquirer published a story about Alex in 2022, how she had a vision while she was a 4-year-old leukemia patient, that now seems like a premonition of this acting role.

“To see this actually play out and to share it with friends and family,” Tyra said, “it’s just surreal.”

Tyra and Woods also are grateful for the Hollywood stars treating them kindly on the set and for getting a behind-the-scenes look at how movies are made — such as pretending Columbus is Seattle for this tale and wearing winter clothing while filming in the heat and humidity of a Georgia summer.

“Seeing how much work goes into putting all this together,” Woods said, “I’ve judged films a lot differently since then.”