Movies & TV Shows Filmed in Vancouver: The Ultimate Hollywood North Guide

Vancouver and the surrounding Metro Vancouver region, Fraser Valley, Squamish, Whistler, and Greater British Columbia are among the most filmed locations in the world — so much so that the area has earned the nickname “Hollywood North.”

This guide, brought to you by Vancouver Page, highlights the most famous and culturally significant movies, TV shows, and documentaries filmed in the region, including classic Hollywood blockbusters, hit streaming series, cult favourites, and notable documentaries featuring local landscapes, studios, and streets.

Last updated: January 2026 (regularly updated as new productions announce filming in the region)

📍 Why Vancouver & BC Are Film Hotspots

Metro Vancouver and surrounding regions are in constant demand in film and TV production thanks to:

• Diverse landscapes: Urban cores, historic neighbourhoods, forests, mountains, beaches, and industrial sites all within easy drive

• Attractive tax incentives and credits for domestic and foreign productions

• World-class crews and soundstage infrastructure (e.g., Vancouver Film Studios, Bridge Studios, North Shore Studios)

• Proximity to major U.S. markets with excellent international airport access

This combination makes Vancouver a go-to stand-in for cities like New York, Seattle, Chicago, and fictional universes.

🎬 Superhero & Big Franchise Movies Filmed in Vancouver

These titles put Vancouver on the global pop-culture map:

Deadpool (2016)

• Ryan Reynolds’ Vancouver set brought downtown streets, the Georgia Viaduct, and Chinatown to life.

Blade: Trinity (2004)

• Parts of this Marvel vampire action movie were filmed in Metro Vancouver.

Fantastic Four (2015)

• Vancouver doubled for futuristic settings and major laboratories.

I, Robot (2004)

• Will Smith sci-fi action with extensive Vancouver city scenes.

Watchmen (2009)

• Used Vancouver and Lower Mainland areas as alternate America.

X-Men Franchise

• Multiple films in the series were shot across Vancouver and surrounding districts.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

• Production work and secondary scenes filmed using local crews.

🪐 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Films Shot in Vancouver & BC

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Filmed partly in Vancouver studios and streets serving as real-world locations.

Godzilla (2014)

Scenes shot in Vancouver stood in for major U.S. cities.

Planet of the Apes Series

The modern reboot trilogy utilized forests and rural regions of BC.

The Predator (2018)

Forest scenes and production work used local natural landscapes.

💖 Romantic, Drama & Coming-of-Age Films

50/50 (2011)

Shot around Vancouver as a heartfelt drama/comedy.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Used local schools and streets as stand-in U.S. locations.

Juno (2007)

Primarily shot in Vancouver and nearby towns.

Midnight Sun (2018)

Romantic drama with scenes around Vancouver.

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish

Seasonal romance filmed at Lower Mainland locations.

😂 Comedy Films Filmed in Vancouver Region

Happy Gilmore (1996)

Classic Adam Sandler golf comedy shot at Furry Creek Golf Course (just north of Vancouver).

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Used Vancouver and mountain areas for ski resort scenes.

Elf (2003)

Portions of this holiday favourite shot in Vancouver.

Scary Movie Series

Parody horror comedy series used Vancouver locales.

The Interview (2014)

Political comedy filmed in Vancouver studios.

🔥 Thriller & Horror Films Shot in BC

Final Destination (Series)

Many installments used Vancouver’s urban and highway settings for dramatic sequences.

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Scenes included Vancouver-based production work.

📺 TV Series Filmed in Vancouver and Lower Mainland

Vancouver is one of the most prolific TV production hubs in North America:

Supernatural

Filmed almost entirely in Vancouver and district areas over 15 seasons.

Lucifer

Though set in Los Angeles, Vancouver served as production home.

Once Upon a Time

Steveston, BC doubled as Storybrooke — one of the most famous location uses.

The Good Doctor

Canadian medical drama shot in Vancouver studios with local exteriors.

Riverdale

Shot in Metro Vancouver locales and studios.

DC Legends of Tomorrow

Part of The CW’s Arrowverse filmed in Vancouver.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Netflix series with lots of local production work.

Travelers

Sci-fi show filmed throughout Vancouver.

Bates Motel

Though character story was in the U.S., exterior and interior production was in the Fraser Valley.

Wild Cards (2025–)

Filmed in Vancouver and Lower Mainland; co-produced by CBC and The CW, with local locations and crews anchoring production.

📺 Other Notable Vancouver-Filmed Series

These range from genre TV to streaming favourites:

• Smallville – Superman prequel franchise (multiple seasons shot in Lower Mainland)

• Arrow – Part of the Arrowverse

• The Flash – Vancouver long-time production base

• Batwoman – CW superhero series

• The 100 – CW sci-fi drama

• Sonic the Hedgehog (TV adaptations) – Animated/related production work

• The X-Files – Iconic sci-fi series filmed in Vancouver

• Star Trek (various series production teams) – Local crews contributed to many Trek projects

🎥 Documentaries Filmed in Vancouver & BC

Metro Vancouver and BC landscapes feature heavily in outdoor, environmental, cultural, and wildlife documentaries (some wholly produced here, others using local backdrops):

• “Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World” – BC cultural documentary

• Various wildlife and environmental series filmed in forests and parks around Vancouver

• Documentaries shot through UBC, SFU, local Indigenous partnerships

📌 If you want a dedicated “Documentaries” subsection with more specific titles and film festivals connected to Vancouver (e.g., DOXA, VIFF doc premieres), I can expand this into a standalone section.

📍 Vancouver Filming Locations You Can Visit

Want to see these locations in person?

Downtown & Gastown

• Doubled for many U.S. metropolises

Steveston Village (Richmond)

• Storybrooke in Once Upon a Time

Furry Creek Golf Course

• Happy Gilmore

Stanley Park & Forested Areas

• Backgrounds in Supernatural, Planet of the Apes, and many others

Local Schools & Stadiums

• Used as rewritable production sets for shows like Riverdale, The Good Doctor

📌 More Movies & Series Filmed in Vancouver / BC (Alphabetical)

This list represents many other featured and supporting productions shot in Vancouver:

Movies:
A Team • A Million Little Things (TV movie) • Everything, Everything • Final Destination • Ghost Rider • Godzilla (and related films) • Juno • Legends of the Fall • Minority Report (production work) • Noelle • Planet of the Apes • RoboCop • Scary Movie • Star Trek (films) • Star Trek (2009) • Superman: Man of Steel • Sucker Punch • The BFG • The Predator • Tomorrowland • Tron Legacy • Twilight Saga (films) • Van Helsing • Watchmen • X-Men

Series / Broadcast:
A Series of Unfortunate Events • Laid • Lucifer • Riverdale • Supernatural • Travelers • Wild Cards • Watson • Once Upon a Time • DC Legends of Tomorrow • Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

(This list is not exhaustive — BC hosts hundreds of productions each year.)