A former Tulsa-area resident is returning home this summer to shoot a movie titled “The Blue Whale” — some of it at the Route 66 landmark by the same name in Catoosa, Oklahoma.
According to the Tulsa World, Jonathan Rossetti, who now lives in Los Angeles, will helm the film, with actresses Emma Kenney of “Shameless” and A.J. Cook of “Criminal Minds” in the cast.
The synopsis of this coming-of-age tale, per Rossetti: A comic-book-loving teenage boy finds himself an outcast in his own home, but with a young woman’s help, he breaks out of his shell and discovers the truth of his heritage.
“I’m really excited to bring this attention to this quirky highlight of the area. I think when people see the Blue Whale, they just know how it could be the beginning of a story because there’s just such a whimsy about it,” said Rossetti, who will film about 60 percent of the film in the Catoosa area, usually at the Blue Whale, “whose owner has been extraordinary about helping us.”
“The Blue Whale” will have a $600,000 budget — which doesn’t sound like much, except his acclaimed film “Home, James,” was made around Tulsa for one-tenth of that. “Home, James” led to Rossetti getting the chance at a bigger-budget movie.
Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale in 1972 on a pond off Route 66 near Catoosa. The behemoth served as a focal point for a public swimming hole for a while, then was closed in 1988 and fell into disrepair. The Blue Whale was restored in 1997, and it and its grounds have seen steady improvements ever since.
(Image of the Blue Whale by gregwest98 via Flickr)