We all know that movies, particularly major Hollywood movies, film all over the world, cherry-picking locations with just the right backdrop for even just a few clips. From luxury destinations to deserted buildings, thinking that the characters are in the places that the script says they’re in doesn’t always add up.
Still, even though the fictitious works or “based on a real story” flicks are known to use some movie magic to bring it all to the big screen, some films are assumed by many to be in the places that they say they’re in. Either because of the common knowledge of the story or the superb recreation of the original, we can be tricked.
Here are a few famous examples of movies that weren’t filmed where everyone thinks they were.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Fans of the post-apocalyptic action franchise had to wait a whole 30 years between the third installment, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, and Mad Max: Fury Road. Production had its troubles – several of them, over many years, in fact – but when it finally landed, the Tom Hardy-led flick made $367 million at the worldwide box office.
However, everyone knows Mad Max to be a series of Australian movies, based in Australia and filmed in Australia. As has been the case before, creator George Miller hoped to film in Broken Hill of New South Wales, but unexpectedly heavy rainfall transformed the arid wasteland into a lush garden of life.
So, Miller had to find his post-apocalyptic wasteland elsewhere, eventually landing in Namibia. The African nation sees very little rainfall, creating the iconic dunes and horizon-stretching deserts that immerse you in the fourth Mad Max movie. Much of the filming took place in Dorob National Park, which overlooks the western coastline.
Judy (2019)
Starring Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland, the biographical drama takes place in the final year of the showbiz legend’s life, which saw her come to London for what would be some of her final performances. Garland famously put on a five-week show at the Talk of the Town in London despite her deteriorating health, which is central to the 2019 flick.
The building of the Talk of the Town is still very in existence, having been a centerpiece of London throughout the 1900s. In 2012, however, it transformed into The Hippodrome Casino – the largest entertainment venue in the UK – replacing the cabaret setting with classic table games. It’s evolved further since, taking its experience to the internet so that anyone can play roulette online and experience the iconic London venue.
Of course, a casino floor doesn’t quite replicate the late-60s vibe of the Talk of the Town, despite the casino and nightclub being in the same historic building. So, for the stage shots, filming moved to Hackney Empire. It’s still in London and was created by the same architect, Frank Matcham, but better replicated the real setting – with a few adjustments.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Even though it’s not brought up very often, everyone just knows that Gotham City is essentially part of New York, with the Big Apple very clearly being the inspiration for the comic book character’s setting. The near-$1 billion box office smash hit The Dark Knight is, naturally, thought to be filmed in New York, but bar a few sets in the UK and a run to Hong Kong, you’re mostly seeing Chicago.
The opening bank robbery takes place at the Chicago Post Office, Lucius Fox’s Applied Sciences Division is in West Building, Wayne Enterprises HQ is the Richard J. Daley Center, and the famous clip of Batman looking over Gotham at night is at Willis Tower. Essentially, the most popular recent movie showings of Gotham City have been Chicago, but we all still think of it as New York.
Many other movie locations masquerade as or are assumed to be others, but these three stand out for the importance of the places they’re meant to be.
