Summer momentum continues for the BC film industry with at least 17 movies schedule for production in Hollywood North throughout October 2017. There are 10 feature films and 7 TV movies scheduled for production.
Stars in town this month shooting movies include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Zac Efron, Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Bill Hader, Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Ken Jeong, Neve Campbell, Charlie Cox, Steve Carell, Jodie Sweetin and Jewel.
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REUNIONS?
Dwayne Johnson continues to shoot Skyscraper in Vancouver while Zac Efron arrives to shoot a Ted Bundy movie. They co-starred in this summer’s raunchy rendition of Baywatch.
Meanwhile, Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow will also both be in town at the same time filming separate projects; they co-star in the Pitch Perfect franchise. Kendrick was also in the 2016 comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates with Zac Efron and Adam Devine – who is producing The Eggplant Movie in town.
She has more Hollywood friends in town like Ryan Reynolds who wraps up Deadpool 2 which has been filming around his hometown all summer. They co-starred in the 2014 comedy crime/horror movie The Voices. She also presented at the 2017 Golden Globes with Steve Carell who wraps up his dramatic biopic in Vancouver this month.
FEATURE FILMS
10 big movies wrap up or start production around town this month:
A Dog’s Way Home
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Animals, Family
Schedule: October 16 – December 15, 2017
The previous film, A Dog’s Purpose, filmed around Winnipeg and was released earlier this year. It starred KJ Apa (Riverdale), Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad and Britt Robertson. There are currently three books in the novel series by W. Bruce Cameron who also wrote 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter which was adapted into a sitcom.
RELATED: KJ Apa & Riverdale Cast Arrive in Vancouver for Season 2
Deadpool 2
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Morena Baccarin, T.J Miller, Karan Soni
Director: David Leitch
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Mature
Sign Codes: DAISY, TCF, Caribbean Blue, Love Machine
Schedule: Until October 12, 2017
Release: June 1, 2018
The highly-anticipated R-rated sequel wraps up production around Vancouver this month. Production was been spotted around town all summer for big action scenes. There was also a fatal accident on set during a stunt in Coal Harbour.
RELATED:
Elsewhere
Starring: Aden Young, Parker Posey, Ken Jeong, Beau Bridges, Jackie Tohn
Director: Hernan Jimenez Garcia
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Sign Code: BLP2
Schedule: Until October 11, 2017
Release: 2018
Director Hernan Garcia is a Spanish film director from Costa Rica who is also a screenwriter, actor and comedian. Elsewhere is shooting in Sooke, British Columbia.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
Starring: Zac Efron
Director: Joe Berlinger
Genre: Thriller
Schedule: From October 9, 2017
Zac Efron of High School Musical fame stars in this thriller which chronicles the crimes of infamous American serial killer Ted Bundy. The story is told from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend who was in denial about him for years. Ted Bundy confessed to 30 homicides across seven states between 1974 and 1978. In addition to being a serial killer he was also a kidnapper, rapist, burglar and necrophile. He targeted young women and girls and was executed by electrocution.
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Nicole
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader
Director: Marc Lawrence
Genre: Christmas
AKA: Untitled Disney Santa Claus Film
Schedule: October 23, 2017 – January 19, 2018
Release: November 8, 2019
It’ll be Christmas in October for Vancouver as Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader star in a Disney Christmas movie. Kendrick will play Santa’s daughter, Nicole Claus, who has to take over the reins (and reindeer) as old Saint Nick retires. Marc Lawrence, known for Miss Congeniality and Did You Hear About the Morgans? is the writer and director.
Skyscraper
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Pablo Schreiber, Noah Taylor, Chin Han
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Genre: Action
Sign Code: MAST
Schedule: Until November 11, 2017
Release: July 13, 2018
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s next big action blockbuster movie is set in China but being filmed right here in Vancouver. After some pre-production and location scouting earlier this year, principal photography for the film began shooting in August. The action-thriller also stars Neve Campbell and British Columbia’s very own Pablo Shreiber.
RELATED:
Stripped
Starring: Charlie Cox, Brittany Snow
Director: Patrick O’Brien
Genre: Thriller
AKA: Mustard & Roses
Schedule: From October 9, 2017
Daredevil star Charlie Cox and Pitch Perfect star Brittany Snow team up for this thriller.
The Eggplant Emoji
Starring: Geraldine Viswanathan, Daniel Doheny, Luke Spencer Roberts, Eduardo Franco, Sadie Calvano
Director: Jake Szymanski
Genre: Dark Comedy
Sign Code: LHP
Schedule: Until October 5, 2017
Release: 2018
The emoji that says it all: the eggplant. This Netflix original movie is literally about a severed penis. It’s backed by some comedy heavyweight producers like the Workaholics and Game Over, Man gang: Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck. Plus the one and only Ben Stiller!
RELATED: Game Over, Man! Cast is Loving Vancouver
The Lego Movie 2
Starring: Chris Pratt, Will Arnett
Director: Mike Mitchell
Genre: Animated
AKA: Lego Movie 2
Schedule: From October 2, 2017
Release: February 8, 2019
Countries for production of the sequel include USA, Australia, Denmark and Canada.
The Women of Marwen
Starring: Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Gwendoline Christie, Janelle Monae, Eiza Gonzalez
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Genre: Drama, Biopic
Sign Code: URZP
Schedule: Until October 19, 2017
Release: November 21, 2018
Steve Carell shows his dramatic acting chops again after Foxcatcher and The Big Short. The film is about a victim of an assault who finds his own method of recovery. It’s based loosely on the Marwencol documentary from 2010 but is not a direct adaptation or remake as the plot will be entirely different. Director Robert Zemeckis is known for Flight, The Walk and Allied.
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TV MOVIES
7 TV movies are in production around town this month:
Christmas For Joy
Director: Allan Harmon
AKA: A Joyus Christmas
Schedule: Until October 14, 2017
Christmas in Evergreen
Director: Alex Zamm
AKA: Snow Globe Wishes
Sign Code: FSP/FSP2
Schedule: Until October 6, 2017
Christmas at Holly Lodge
Starring: Alison Sweeney, Sheryl Lee Ralph
Director: Jem Garrard
AKA: Reindeer Lodge, Evergreen Inn
Sign Code: LHP
Schedule: Until October 6, 2017
Days of Our Lives star and The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney also stars in the Murder, She Baked TV movie series for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
Finding Santa
Stephanie Tanner aka Jodie Sweetin stars in a holiday season movie for Hallmark Channel. She plays Jessica who is in charge of her town’s Christmas parade and has to find a replacement to play Santa.
Fixer Upper 3
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZCNa0VATs8/?taken-by=jewel
Starring: Jewel Kilcher
Director: Mark Jean
Schedule: Until October 3, 2017
Singer and actress Jewel reprises her role in the 3rd installment of this mystery series filmed on Vancouver Island.
The Hunt
Director: Steven H Carr
AKA: Freaky Friday
Schedule: October 23 – December 8, 2017
Untitled Simone Biles Movie
Director: Vanessa Parise
AKA: Courage to Soar: The Simone Biles Story
Schedule: October 16 – November 9, 2017
Lifetime Network’s biopic about Olympic gold medal gymnast and most decorated American gymnast Simone Biles. She also placed 4th on Season 24 of Dancing with the Stars.
SEPTEMBER
A number of movies wrapped up production around town last month:
- Dragged Across Concrete starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn
- I’m Not a Bad Person directed by Andrew Huculiak of We Are The City
- Pup Star 3: World Tour the action comedy home movie
- The Christmas Train, a TV movie starring Dermot Mulroney, Kimberley Williams-Paisley, Joan Cusack and Danny Glover
*Sign codes and schedules from CRBC and What’s Filming.
