Taking Aim – Chad Collins Talks All Things Sniper

Jeff: Thank you. Well, Chad, how are you?

Chad: Mr. Action Reloaded, how are you? Jeff, good to see you again.

Jeff: You too. It’s been a minute. You’re looking well.

Chad: Yeah, you too, my friend.

Jeff: What are we on now? Number 11?

Chad: Eleven total. This is the eighth one I’ve been lucky to be a part of.

Jeff: Let’s jump straight into this because there are some differences in this one compared to the previous ones. The last two or three entries had that comedic side, like a refresh of the franchise, but this time, that’s been stripped back. Tell me about the decision to remove the comedy.

Chad: Yeah, we had an absolute blast with the previous three, ending with Sniper: Grit. It felt like a trilogy within our very long franchise universe. Oliver Thompson is a total visionary—very talented, great writer. He gave us a lot of great dialogue and material to showcase a funnier side of Zero, Brandon, and everyone else. He created amazing characters like Intelligence Pete, Lady Death, and more.

But Sniper: Last Stand has a very different tone, feel, and vision. We’ve outdone ourselves with the action in this one—the fights, the stunts, the explosions, the bullets flying, and the body count. This isn’t just returning to form; we’re pushing the envelope higher than ever before.

Jeff: I don’t know if people are going to criticize me for this, but this is the strongest one so far. What do you think?

Chad: Quite honestly, it feels that way. We had a cast and crew screening on Friday night, and I hadn’t seen the finished version yet. But I knew when we filmed it that we were all excited for people to see it. Performance-wise, acting-wise, and with how we’ve tripled down on action, I think audiences are going to have a lot to appreciate.

Jeff: Yeah, I agree. You’ve definitely amped up the action. There’s more hand-to-hand combat, more gunfights. And as I said at the start, there’s no real comedy—just a few quips here and there. Like when Zero goes into the kitchen, sees the two guys behind him, and is like, “Right, come on, boys, let’s go.” But overall, the tension is unreal. Honestly, I thought your character wasn’t going to make it at the end.

Chad: Well, can’t say too much about that! It is called Last Stand. Zero still has his zingers and one-liners, which have been a part of his character from the start. But Brandon is a bit more buttoned-up in this one. The situation escalates so quickly that he doesn’t have time to find the humor in anything. It’s high stakes, high stress—a very different experience for him, even as someone who probably thought he’d seen it all. I think audiences will dig it, and they’ll still enjoy those one-liners when they pop up.

Jeff: So is it safe to assume that going forward, the vision is to take it back to that raw, gritty action?

Chad: Yeah. The last three, with Oliver Thompson, had a great, fun vision—he’s a brilliant writer, producer, director, even did the music. It opened the door to a broader audience beyond hardcore action fans. People enjoyed being thoroughly entertained, even in an action movie.

But now, having gone in that direction, they wanted to pivot back. This time, they’re going even more hardcore. It feels like a complete 180, and we’ll see how it’s received. I think it’ll be received really well, and we’ll see if that remains the trend.

Jeff: I 100% agree. That should be advertised more, too, because some people weren’t receptive to the comedic turn. This one is pure, balls-to-the-wall action. The fight scenes, the hand-to-hand combat—it’s incredibly well done. And these are what you’d call budget movies, but you can’t even tell in this one because the action keeps you engaged. It’s a solid 75–80 minutes of nonstop intensity.

Chad: Yeah, they put a lot on the screen, man. And thank you for saying that. These films don’t have the resources that bigger productions do. The biggest challenge is that directors and producers have all these ideas, but it always comes down to time and money. They made this one look and feel ten times bigger than what they had to work with. That’s a testament to the creative genius behind it—the effects team, stunt team, and everyone involved. The film looks way more expensive than it actually was, and that speaks to everyone pulling together.

Jeff: Are we still on the same page as we were when we first spoke years ago? Are you still up for doing 20 of these movies?

Chad: Absolutely. We’re only at eight—I’ve still got 12 more to go. Not even at the halfway point yet! I love these films. Who would’ve thought I’d have more and more reasons to keep talking with you? You never know when things will change—when a studio shelves a franchise or stops making sequels, or worse, I get replaced. But as long as they’ll have me, I’ll keep going.

Jeff: But if they ever decide to cap the franchise, they can’t just say, “That’s it, we’re done.” They need to round out your character properly. That would be like Vin Diesel saying, “No Fast 11, we’re done.” You just can’t leave the story hanging, right?

Chad: Yeah, absolutely. If I could predict 10 years down the road, it’d be great to see Brandon do what his father, Thomas Beckett, did for him—become a mentor, fade into the background, and train the next generation. If there’s going to be a passing of the torch, it’d be cool to stick around long enough to set up the next young sniper.

Jeff: That’s hinted at in this movie, isn’t it? Your character is told he’d make a great mentor, and by the end, he seems to agree.

Chad: Exactly. Sniper: Last Stand was fun because it put Brandon in a new role—having to lead a squad and make the calls in a life-or-death situation. He’s always been the one following orders, but now he’s the one coming up with the plan. It was a fun challenge from an acting perspective, and I think audiences will enjoy seeing this evolution of his character.

Jeff: Going forward, do you want to keep it action-heavy? In the last three, because of the comedic tone, you weren’t doing as much rough, run-and-gun action. But in this one, you’re getting beaten up every few minutes.

Chad: Yeah, this one was brutal. Comedy feels like a dream because it’s way less painful! But action, even though it’s harder and more grueling, is so much more rewarding. You have to be physically ready, and it takes a toll, but seeing the final product makes it all worth it.

Sniper: Grit leaned more into comedy, and while that’s a lot less physically demanding (unless you’re bad at comedy—then it’s painful), this action-heavy approach is something people are going to love. Ryan and I definitely got beat up on this one, so I hope audiences appreciate it!

Jeff: I caught the trailer, and I was expecting pure action, but I wasn’t sure if there would still be some comedy. I was pleasantly surprised. The tension is back, the stakes are high, the action is incredible. The fight scenes, the shootouts—unreal. And there are plenty of explosions, which I love.

Chad: Yeah, this one doesn’t mess around. Everything you just said—and more.

Jeff: I’ve asked you this after every Sniper movie, and your answer has always been the same. But… are you doing another one?

Chad: Haha, I don’t know! I never really know if I’m doing another one until I get the call. But I hope so.

Jeff: Well, Chad, thank you so much for your time. This one is unreal. It’s out on the 27th, right?

Chad: In the U.S., it’s digital on January 21st and DVD on January 28th. Not sure about the international release yet, but probably soon after.

Jeff: We need better UK releases—we haven’t had the last three here!

Chad: I’ll see what I can do. I’ll send Zero to their door!

Jeff: Always a pleasure, Chad.

Chad: You too, Jeff. See you next time!