15 Movies That Weren’t Filmed Where You Might Think

Movies often create such convincing settings that audiences naturally assume they were filmed in the exact places shown on screen. In reality, productions are rarely based where you think they are. Budget, logistics, and set convenience can all influence where filming actually takes place. Here are fifteen movies that were not filmed where you might think.

Argo

The film recreates revolutionary Iran, but most scenes were actually shot in Turkey and Los Angeles.

Black Panther

Wakanda appears as a fully realized African nation, but the production used filming locations in South Korea, Argentina, and studio sets in the United States.

Braveheart

Though set in medieval Scotland, much of the production was filmed in Ireland due to logistical advantages and available locations.

Catch Me If You Can

The movie jumps across multiple American cities, but much of the filming was consolidated in California and Canada.

Chicago

The musical is strongly associated with Chicago itself, yet the majority of filming took place in Toronto.

Full Metal Jacket

The Vietnam War setting was recreated largely in England using abandoned industrial areas around London.

Good Will Hunting

While closely linked to Boston, several interior and production scenes were filmed in Toronto and Los Angeles.

Rumble in the Bronx

Set in New York City, the movie was actually filmed mostly in Vancouver, where mountains are visibly present in the background.

Saving Private Ryan

The Normandy invasion scenes look convincingly French, but much of the filming happened on beaches in Ireland.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Middle Earth feels completely fantastical, yet the landscapes were created almost entirely through real locations in New Zealand.

The Shining

The Overlook Hotel feels deeply tied to Colorado, but most of the film was actually shot at studios in England. Only exterior inspiration came from the real Stanley Hotel.

The Sound of Music

Many viewers associate the entire production with Austria, but several studio sequences were filmed in Hollywood.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The film feels isolated deep within rural Texas, but parts of the production were shot near populated areas outside Austin.

Titanic

Despite its historical setting in the Atlantic Ocean, the massive production was primarily filmed in large water tanks in Mexico.