Is The Dolus SUV A Real Car?

Judging by the film's anemic box office numbers, we'd wager that not many of you ventured out to the multiplex when "Locked" made its 2025 theatrical debut. But those that did buy the ticket and take the wild cinematic ride that is "Locked" were treated to a pulse-pounding thriller which — despite some of the narrative and stylistic shortcomings that divided critics — offered a standout, one-man-show styled turn from Bill Skarsgård that deftly anchors this harrowing action. As it stands, Skarsgård is about the only performer you see for the better part of the film's 95-minute runtime.

If you're unfamiliar with the setup for "Locked," Skarsgård portrays Eddie, a down-on-his-luck car thief who ends up in mortal danger after he tries to jack a Dolus SUV off the street, only to find himself trapped inside and at the mercy of the vehicle's sadistic owner, William (Sir Anthony Hopkins). After ensnaring his prey, William proceeds to torture Eddie via heavy-duty upgrades one might deem better suited to cinema's more prestigious spy cars. While Skarsgård is the unquestioned star of "Locked," the luxury Dolus SUV is every bit as worthy of the big screen closeup, leaving many to wonder where they might buy one for themselves.

Unfortunately, it is impossible for fans of "Locked" to buy a luxury Dolus SUV, because neither the brand nor the vehicle actually exists. You can, however, get your hands on the vehicle the production used to create its Dolus.

If you're wondering why the producers opted to conjure a faux auto brand and SUV for their production of "Locked," we'd point out that the vehicle is used as a means of torture and torment throughout the film. Frankly, we cannot imagine many real-world automakers were eager to position a vehicle bearing their badge in that particularly nasty role.

Of course, the filmmakers behind "Locked" did not design and manufacture a fleet of their own vehicles for the film either. Instead, they turned to one of the world's most respected luxury SUV brands to help make their killer car, with "Locked" utilizing a vehicle from the Tata Motors owned Land Rover for their fictional Dolus. As for the model they used, a few sharp-eyed viewers out there no doubt recognized the sleekly squared lines of the brand's Defender behind the myriad Hollywood adornments added to transform it into a Dolus.

As for the Defender, it's ranked among the best-loved luxury sport utility builds on the market in the decades since Land Rover first debuted it. The vehicle's esteem is not likely to waver anytime soon, with our own reviewer recently even bestowing upon the 2024 model the coveted SlashGear Select badge. However, the 2024 model is apparently not the one you see dressed up like the fictional Dolus in "Locked," as the production used three 2020 Defenders in the film. And according to the film's production designer, Grant Armstrong, procuring those vehicles put a pretty heavy dent in the film's budget.