The Last of Us, Photo: HBO/Crave
Vancouver, also known as “Hollywood North,” has a thriving film and television industry. Many international productions transform the city to represent everything on screen, from similar metropolitan cities such as Seattle or Portland all the way to historical eras of feudal Japan and sci-fi or fantasy destinations.
Check out all the movies and television shows currently or recently filmed in Vancouver:
Movie Shoots
Tron: Ares, Photo: Leah Gallo/Walt Disney Pictures
Final Destination: Bloodlines – Like all the previous entries in the durable Final Destination horror franchise, the sixth film began filming in Vancouver last month and is expected to continue until May. Production was spotted shooting in Cloverdale. It’s scheduled to be released sometime in 2025.
Playdate – You may have seen comedian Kevin James mucking it up during Canucks games at Rogers Arena recently. That’s because he’s in town filming his latest action/comedy alongside Reacher star Alan Ritchson.
Tron: Ares – Tron returns to Vancouver after the 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy, also filmed here. Starring Jared Leto, the movie has already filmed extensive action setpieces, including an overnight shoot involving a motorcycle sequence on Cambie Bridge. It started filming in January and is slated for release in theatres next October.
TV Productions
Shōgun, Photo: FX Productions
The Last of Us (HBO/Crave) – While the first Emmy-winning season of the celebrated video game adaptation was filmed in Alberta, the second season takes place in the Seattle area, with Vancouver doubling as the American Pacific Northwest. Be on the lookout for any post-apocalyptic-looking sets or zombies/clickers. An aquarium plays a critical part in Part II of the video game series, so will we be spotting Bella Ramsay at the Vancouver Aquarium soon?
Shōgun (FX/Disney+) – This acclaimed remake of the 1980 miniseries based on the classic novel of historical Japanese fiction just aired its finale. It was filmed around the Lower Mainland, doubling as 1600s feudal Japan in the time of lords and samurai.
So Help Me Todd (CBS/Global) – This mother-son legal dramedy set in Portland, Oregon, is mostly shot in and around Downtown Vancouver with the TD Tower on West Georgia acting as the show’s fictional law firm and is currently airing its second season.
Yellowjackets (Showtime/Crave) – Season 3 of the creepy ensemble plane crash drama is scheduled to once again shoot across British Columbia, with filming starting soon before airing sometime in spring 2025.
Netflix in Your Neighbourhood
Avatar: The Last Airbender, Photo: Nickelodeon Productions
For fans of Netflix’s many shows and films, the streaming giant recently launched their Netflix in Your Neighbourhood guide for viewers to track where their favourite series and movies were filmed in different Canadian cities, including Vancouver. Recognize a location? Take a look at where they were filmed and take a self-guided tour.
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Netflix’s live-action fantasy remake of the classic Nickelodeon cartoon was filmed in Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Langley, and Surrey in place of the world of the Four Nations, based on the elements. If you’re curious about these scenic locations, try taking a quick trip on the Expo or Millenium SkyTrain lines to see for yourself.
The Night Agent – The action thriller’s first season was shot extensively in Metro Vancouver, standing in for Washington, D.C., including at the Vancouver Art Gallery, JW Marriott Parq, UBC campus, and Golden Ears Park.
Virgin River – The popular series about a nurse practitioner’s big move from L.A. to a remote, northern Californian town has shot in recognizable spots like Burnaby Mountain Park, the Burnaby Art Gallery, Hart House Restaurant, and Deer Lake. You might want to grab a bite at the Watershed Grill in Squamish, just a short drive up the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver, where the diner scenes were shot.
The Metro Vancouver area is extensively used for filming because of its versatility and breathtaking backdrops. You might be in some random spot and be reminded of your favourite show or walk down a street and find a Hollywood actor saving the world. Exploring Vancouver through its movies and television shows is a fun way to discover the city.
