Photograph by Matt Walljasper
This time of year marks the last big push before most filming projects go on holiday break, and we’ve hunted down a ton of new set locations (and production sign codes) for you. Grab your popcorn, watch out for for street closures, and check out Atlanta’s most detailed filming roundup:
New this month is the Oprah Winfrey-produced TV series, Greenleaf (production code: GL). The show focuses on the Greenleaf family, the figureheads for a fictitious Memphis megachurch. As you can imagine, scandal and secrets will abound. The show stars Keith David, Lynn Whitfield, and Merle Dandridge. And yes, Oprah will play a recurring role as well. Greenleaf shot church scenes off of Flat Shoals Road in southwest Decatur on November 3. It has spent some time in its Norcross studio since then, but came out to Broadland Road in Buckhead on November 9.
Another new addition this month is True Memoirs of an International Assassin (TM) starring Kevin James. The mistaken-identity comedy is noteworthy if only for the fact that Netflix owns the distribution rights. Expect to see more of this project around town next month. As for now, all we know is that on November 16, filming occurred in Midtown near the AT&T Building.
Oh, and while we’re on the subject of Netflix original programming, Stranger Things (CAMP HERO) was spotted shooting in Stockbridge earlier this month. This series follows the mother (Winona Ryder) of a missing child battling supernatural forces in order to bring him home. Bonus—it’s set in the 80s.
Chris Evans’s Gifted (MARY) has moved from Savannah into our sphere of influence recently. On November 16, the movie filmed a scene in the St. Regis Hotel. Since then, production’s moved to Emory University’s campus. The film follows Evans’s character as he tries to raise his brilliant niece after his sister’s death while simultaneously battling his mother for custody of her.
We also have a Christmas movie filming—and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet! A Meyers Christmas (AMC), starring Gabrielle Union, Nicole Ari Parker, and Kimberly Elise, took over The Silver Skillet, closing it on November 2, as well as on the 5th. A basecamp was also set up in Atlantic Station.
Comedy Central is currently shooting a pilot, Overanalyzers (OA), which chronicles a group of twenty-somethings and the misadventures that come with modern life. Echo Kellum, John Gemberling, Jessy Hodges, Milana Vayntrub, and Justin Chon are attached. They’ve filmed scenes in Old Fourth Ward and off Fulton Street near downtown.
Clint Eastwood’s Sully (KIKI), shot all throughout metro Atlanta this past month. Starring Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, and Aaron Eckhart, Sully tells the story of US Airways pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. A basecamp was set up in mid-October behind Lenox Square. After that, shooting moved to Duluth, not far off of Sugarloaf Parkway. On October 24-27, crews worked at Gwinnett Tech. The project then moved to Alpharetta, specifically at the Alpharetta Athletic Club. Sully completed its Georgia filming at the end of October in Milton.
Owen Wilson and Ed Helm’s comedy Bastards (LCP) has spent a lot of time ITP and a bit outside the perimeter as well. At the end of October, they filmed at a private residence on Greenwood Avenue near Piedmont Park. After a little studio time in Norcross, crews worked in Monroe on November 3. On the 5th, a train wreck scene was shot off of Miami Circle. More recently, Bastards filmed in Midtown and shot a Bar Mitzvah scene in Buckhead.
The Playstation Network’s Powers (SIC’EM) is going strong on its second season. The show continued to shoot at the Brookhaven MARTA station in late October and started November in Stockbridge. After studio filming in Norcross, the series took a trip downtown on November 16. Crews them moved slightly north into Midtown on the 19th. The show has also brought Star Trek: The Next Generation alum and nerd favorite Wil Wheaton to town. He posted on his Instagram last night that he encountered an uncanny counterpart to Futurama’s “80s Guy” while dining in . . . we’re going to take a wild guess here and say it was Buckhead.
There’s not much new to mention for the Jennifer Lawrence/Chris Pratt film, Passengers (PLASS). The sci-fi movie is mostly shot in-house at Pinewood, for obvious reasons, but we have learned from The Hollywood Reporter that Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt filmed a sex scene for the movie. How did she prepare? By getting really, really drunk. Lawrence admitted she felt guilty afterward for kissing a married man. (Don’t worry, J. Law, we’re sure Anna Faris understands.) NBC’s Game of Silence (GOS) filmed downtown in late October and at The Gold Room yesterday (where the rain presented some unique challenges).
You know what’s great for filming?! This. I’m going to need a boat to get my actors #GameOfSilence pic.twitter.com/G36S51bA61 — Miracole Burns (@MiracoleBurns) November 18, 2015
The Vampire Diaries (LOC) has been working in Decatur this past week. And in what might create a sense of déjà vu for some viewers, The Originals (TOGS) shot at 799 Windsor Street, aka Terminus from The Walking Dead (SF). On that note, the zombie megahit wraps up season six filming at the end of this week. Sleepy Hollow (SH) moved from Covington to Loganville to Rex throughout the course of the month. Containment (1159) mostly shot in its northwest Atlanta studio, but came out to Peachtree Boulevard in Chamblee on November 17. Fist Fight (S&K) had an October basecamp off of Moreland and Custer Avenues and filmed in Midtown on November 16. We also saw signs for Shadow (DV3), an independent horror film that’s mostly been hanging out in south Fulton county, at Spring and 10th Streets.
Coming up, look for another new pilot, Bravo’s True Fiction. There are also rumors that we’re going to get an Ant-Man sequel, but nothing is confirmed. Speaking of Marvel, Thor: Ragnarok might not be shooting in Atlanta after all. As recently as our last update, the film was set to shoot here at Pinewood. But according to Screen Rant, among other sources, Marvel has confirmed that production will begin in Australia. There’s no word yea or nay from Marvel about Atlanta, but it’s not looking good. C’est la vie. We still have Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in February.
