Photograph by Matt Walljasper
Now that we’ve made it through the slow winter holidays, filming is back full-force in Atlanta. The Hollywood of the South is stronger than ever, with new productions popping up each month. Here’s our latest report on what’s shooting where, which signs go with which films, and who you might just run into next time you’re walking around the city.
All Eyez On Me (production code: AEOM) continues to be the most visible project in Atlanta this month. Since our last roundup, the Tupac biopic spent some time in Norcross before moving downtown, shooting on Broad Street just south of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on January 31. We next spotted crews in Midtown near the Bank of America Plaza in early February. All Eyez On Me stayed in Midtown until February 12, when it shot at Marietta’s Picture Show Dollar Theater. The basecamp was located at nearby Mt. Zion Methodist Church. Most recently, AEOM signs returned to downtown Atlanta on February 17 and 18.
We’re very excited to announce that Edgar Wright, director of the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy—Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The Word’s End—is in town for his new film, Baby Driver (ALMIRA). The action-comedy stars Ansel Elgort, who you might know as Caleb Prior from his role in the Atlanta-filmed Divergent series, as well as Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Kevin Spacey. A few ALMIRA signs have already been spotted, but the film is still in its pre-shooting phase—rehearsals and tests. Take a look at this slate photo tweeted by Wright, just above “2015.”
Turnover. Speed. And… pic.twitter.com/jB3A4cszXw
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) February 18, 2016
Still, production crews have been busy. At the end of January, signs were spotted at the Westside Provisions District off of Howell Mill Road, and on February 12, they were posted around Union City. On February 17, they took over Criminal Records in Little Five Points. This past weekend, Ansel Elgort was spotted downtown on set at Forsyth Street, and if you took advantage of this weekend’s warmer weather, you might have even seen a sign on the Beltline Eastside Trail, just north of Ponce City Market.
Holy crap they’re filming a movie in Atlanta and just saw Ansel Elgort pic.twitter.com/86Qawzdemq
— Conner Mayheu (@Mar_Apr_Mayheu) February 20, 2016
Another new production, Thank You For Your Service (TYP), stars Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, and Amy Schumer in a rare dramatic role. The film tackles how PTSD affects American veterans returning home after wartime. They shot in Piedmont Park on January 29 and over by Emory’s Briarcliff campus during the second week of February. We also saw crews near the federal prison in south Atlanta on February 16. After that, the production moved to Kennesaw at McCollum Field. Next week, they’ll be shooting in Gainesville.
Oprah’s Greenleaf (GL) television series filmed additional scenes this month. On January 25, they shot at The House of Hope Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur, then at the Atlanta Civic Center until January 27. February 1 brought signs to Buckhead, and most recently to Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Best Friend Road in Norcross.
Starz series Survivor’s Remorse (SRS3) has returned to shoot its third season (hence the sign code change from last year’s SRS2). On February 9 through 12, a basecamp was set up at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Moore’s Mill Road. On Valentine’s Day, more signs were spotted near the Governor’s Mansion.
The Vampire Diaries (LOC) filmed in Decatur on February 16 and 18. Its sister show, The Originals (TOGS), shot in Covington on February 10, Conyers on February 19, will spend Monday in Madison. FOX’s Sleepy Hollow (SH) continues to work in Conyers. Devious Maids (DM) has been busy filming around Stone Mountain, and Netflix’s Winona Ryder-driven series Stranger Things (ST) was in Douglasville on both February 6 and 12. We even saw reshoots during the waning days of January for Fist Fight (S&K), starring Ice Cube, Christina Hendricks, and Tracy Morgan, in east Cobb county.
Next month, be on the lookout for Hidden Figures, a film following the unsung African American mathematical geniuses who were involved in NASA’s early days. And we’re hoping by our next roundup, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 might finally go outside of Pinewood. Until then, enjoy these trailers for the Atlanta-filmed The Divergent Series: Allegiant and Chris Pratt’s viral, uplifting Atlanta-based Instagram from this past month.
