Sartaj Singh
Under the direction of Gil Kenan, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ revolves around the Spengler family, who are facing backlash for their irresponsible ghostbusting activities. Just as the crew contemplates easing up on their work, an artifact unseals and releases an ancient evil that brings with it a storm of ice. The Spenglers seek out the help of the first generation of Ghost Busters, consisting of Peter Venkman and his team. United, the heroes combat an army of ghosts commanded by the ancient evil, and work towards preventing an ice age from enveloping the planet.
The fifth installment in the ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise, the adventure comedy transports us from Summerville, Oklahoma, to the classic ghost-busting destination of New York City, with the iconic red fire station featured alongside ghosts from the first installment in the series. As the battle for the fate of humanity unfolds in the streets of NYC, some curious observers may dig deeper into finding out if the movie was actually shot there.
Where Was Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Filmed?
While ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ was filmed in New York City, New York, most of its settings were re-created using studios and sites in and around London, England, and, to a lesser extent, in Atlanta, Georgia, and New Jersey. Under the working title ‘Firehouse,’ the movie started shooting on March 20, 2023, and was wrapped up by June 23, 2023. However, the film crew conducted reshoots in late November and early December of 2023, and a few more scenes were added to the final cut.
London, England
The metropolitan capital city became the primary hub for filming of most of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Some of the actors, including Paul Rudd, were spotted in London while filming. Locations around the city were chosen to depict much of the interior scenes and some exterior scenes of the movie, and studios were put to use to create elaborate sets. Interestingly, even the original ‘Ghostbusters’ movie, while set in New York, was largely shot using backdrops in Los Angeles.
Other Locations in England
The movie was primarily shot in studios around England, these included the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden at Warner Drive, the Winnersh Film Studios on 1020 Eskdale Road, and the Shinfield Studios at South Avenue in Reading. As the real-life ‘Ghostbusters’ fire station headquarters was undergoing renovation, for shooting scenes within it, a replica was built using a soundstage in Warner Bros. Studios.
When asked about shooting most of the movie in England, director Gil Kenan replied, “Yes, we filmed the interiors, and much of the film was shot outside of London.” He continued, “We were fortunate to do so because we had an incredible team of artists who could build sets with unbelievable detail and precision.”
New York City, New York
The film crew ventured to the streets of New York City to lens many of the most pivotal and thrilling scenes of the movie. Commuters could spot the emblematic Ecto-1 at various locations around the city as cameras rolled to root the film in its authentic location. New Yorkers will recognize many of these scenes in the movie, especially the ‘Ghostbusters’ red fire station headquarters, which is situated at 14 North Moore Street.
In the sequence of the ice storm approaching NYC, the kids playing at the fire hydrant are at Eldridge Street and Broome Street, while the seaside fair observed is at Coney Island Beach. When the ghosts are released into the city and the Ghostbusters roll out in Ecto-1, they drift around a corner into Lafayette Street in Lower Manhattan. The scene of the Lion statue coming to life was filmed with the backdrop of the New York Public Library. The Lion itself is part of a pair of historical marble lions named Patience and Fortitude, which sit proudly at the entrance of the Beaux-Arts building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
Fascinatingly, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ is the first movie to be granted permission to carry out cinematic drone photography in the city. “For every aerial shot that takes place, I wanted the camera to be able to move through the streets,” said Kenan in the aforementioned interview. “And when Garaca begins to send out his tendrils of control on the supernatural elements of the city, all of those are the very first images of cinematic low-altitude photography ever shot in the city.”
Atlanta, Georgia
A prospering filmmaking hub in its own right, the Georgian capital city was utilized in carrying out last-minute shoots for the movie in late 2023. With the SAG-AFTRA 2023 strikes, some feared that the pending shooting would delay the release of the film. However, with a resolution to the strikes, the film crew traveled to a closed set in Atlanta and was also spotted filming with the backdrop of graffiti-covered walls, which were likely used to depict NYC streets.
New Jersey
The film briefly shows sights of New Jersey, which are reportedly the beach scenes seen in the movie. In addition, some of the stunt drivers for the movie practiced their stuntwork at the MetLife Stadium located at 1 MetLife Stadium Drive, East Rutherford.
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