10 Movies You Didn’t Know Were Filmed In Toronto

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Filmed in 2000, Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho became an instant cult classic because of its over-the-top campy, comedy-horror style that didn’t really fit into any genre. Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman is seen in a variety of upscale bars and restaurants, and Toronto establishments like the Boston Club on Front Street, and the Phoenix Concert Theatre on Sherbourne were used as sets.

Adam Sandler’s 1995 film Billy Madison was filmed entirely in Ontario including Oshawa, Stouffville, and Toronto. The auditorium at Northern Secondary School in Toronto was used for the academic decathlon scene, and the gym at John Ross Robertson Junior Public School was the location for Billy’s dodgeball game. Northern Secondary School has also served as a set for the 2014 remake of Carrie and Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

The 2002 awards show darling, Chicago starring Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Catherine Zeta Jones was actually filmed entirely in Toronto. The courthouse scene was shot at Osgoode Hall at Queen and University, and other locations included Union Station, the Canada Life Building, and Danforth Music Hall. Toronto has been referred to as Chicago’s closest sibling in terms of urban design, making it the perfect location for Chicago-based film sets.

The 2004 remake of George A. Romero’s classic zombie horror film, Dawn of the Dead was filmed mostly in Toronto suburb, Thornhill. The mall and rooftop scenes were shot in the Thornhill Square Shopping Centre, which was demolished soon after filming ended. Many other scenes were shot in Thornhill’s Aileen-Willowbrook neighbourhood.

Set in Boston, Good Will Hunting actually uses locations at the University of Toronto as a stand in for scenes taking place inside MIT and Harvard University. Robin Williams’ character, Sean Maguire’s, office was built in Toronto as an exact replica of a professor’s office because Harvard has a strict policy against letting movies film on campus. U of T’s McLennan Physical Laboratories were used for most of the classroom scenes.

The 2002 Denzel Washington film about a man who takes an ER hostage in order to get medical care for his son, is set in Chicago, but parts of it were filmed in Toronto, Hamilton, and Cambridge, Ontario. The film uses the courthouse on University, and the Hepburn Block building on Grosvenor which houses the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. Scenes were also shot at the Babcock & Wilcox plant in Cambridge. The old court house near Queen and Bay can also be seen during a shot of a car driving down Bay St.

The 2010 film adaptation of graphic novel, Kick-Ass used locations in Toronto and Hamilton as a backdrop for the superhero action-comedy. Locations include Dip n’ Sip Donuts on Kingston Rd. in Toronto, and Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in Hamilton. Many other Toronto landmarks play cameos, such as Scotiabank Theatre, and Yonge-Dundas Square. Kick-Ass 2 also makes significant use of Toronto for filming of key scenes.

Another film set in Chicago, 2002 sleeper hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding used Toronto as a backdrop. Greektown (aka The Danforth) played a big part in filming, and the house the main character’s family lives in is located in East York. The wedding was shot at St. Nicholas Ukranian Church near Trinity Bellwoods Park. Even Ryerson University makes a cameo.

Although the first move in the Saw franchise was filmed in L.A, all 6 sequels used Toronto as a set. Most scenes are filmed in Toronto’s biggest soundstage, Cinespace, but there are a few scenes through the series that show off Toronto as its location. In one scene, the Toronto Islands can be seen in the background while Donnie Wahlberg’s character talks to his son. And in another, a glimpse of the CN Tower is caught in the skyline, even though that was most likely a mistake on the filmmakers parts.

The very first film in the X-Men franchise was filmed almost entirely in Toronto with locations including Casa Loma, Union Station, and Roy Thompson Hall. Parkwood Estate in Oshawa was used for exterior shots of the X-Mansion, while Casa Loma was used for interior shots. Even the Distillery District was transformed into a Nazi concentration camp for the opening scenes of the film.