Hollywood favorite Chris Pratt is gearing up to thrill audiences once again — but his latest role in the upcoming film Mercy has taken him deeper into the real-life world of homicide detectives than ever before.
During an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE at New York Comic Con 2025 on October 9, Pratt, 46, opened up about the grueling preparation that went into his portrayal of a Los Angeles detective accused of his wife’s murder.
The Guardians of the Galaxy star didn’t just rely on scripts or secondhand accounts — he trained directly with the LAPD’s homicide division, performing real police-style exercises and listening to first-hand stories from detectives on the front lines.
“I had an opportunity to work with the LAPD and their homicide division,” Pratt told PEOPLE. “It was really incredible. Some of the stunt work we did was amazing — driving police cars, fight choreography, bar fight sequences — but the most difficult part was hearing their stories.”
A Deep Dive into Real Police Work
While action-packed stunts are nothing new for Pratt, the actor said that what truly challenged him wasn’t the physicality — it was the emotional weight of understanding what homicide detectives face every day.
“You realize these guys are heroes,” Pratt said. “The trouble they encounter, the trauma they see on a daily basis — it’s staggering. You might not see much about it in the news, but right now, somewhere out there, a detective is working a homicide. That’s real life.”
This immersive research process allowed Pratt to bring a level of authenticity and respect to his Mercy role that mirrors his previous dedication to realism in projects like The Terminal List and Jurassic World.
About Mercy: A Gritty, Futuristic Thriller
In Mercy, Pratt stars as Chris, a veteran homicide detective caught in a high-stakes fight for his life after being accused of murdering his own wife. Racing against time, he must unravel the conspiracy before it’s too late.
The film — directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Profile) — fuses neo-noir crime drama with sci-fi thriller elements, set in a not-so-distant future where justice is automated and human compassion is scarce.
“This is a character who’s been a homicide detective for years,” Pratt explained. “He’s put people on trial in what’s known as the ‘mercy court,’ and now that system is coming back to haunt him.”
Mercy also stars Kali Reis, known for True Detective: Night Country, who joined Pratt and Bekmambetov on stage during their NYCC panel to share behind-the-scenes insights.
Pratt’s Intense On-Set Commitment
At the Comic Con panel, Pratt revealed how he went all-in to physically and mentally embody his character — even requesting to be fully restrained during key sequences.
“I asked them to confine me,” he said. “I didn’t want to have to act like I was strapped down — I wanted to actually feel it.”
He described one particularly demanding scene in which his character undergoes a futuristic trial while strapped into a mechanized chair.
“I was cuffed at the hands and feet — and for part of it, even my head,” he shared. “It created this claustrophobic energy that I think really comes through in the performance.”
That dedication didn’t come without risk — Pratt has previously shared images of a painful ankle injury sustained while shooting on the Mercy set, joking that the recovery process would “be interesting moving forward.”
A Story Rooted in Real Emotion
Beyond the stunts and special effects, Pratt emphasized that Mercy is a story about humanity, justice, and redemption.
“It’s about a man who helped build a system of judgment and then finds himself trapped inside it,” Pratt explained. “There’s a moral question at the center of it — what happens when mercy becomes mechanical?”
When Will Mercy Be Released?
The highly anticipated thriller is set to hit theaters on January 23, 2026, distributed by Amazon MGM Studios.
With its blend of action, emotion, and social commentary, Mercy is poised to be one of Chris Pratt’s most intense and thought-provoking performances to date — a movie that explores what justice and compassion truly mean in a world where both are in short supply.
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