Naman Shrestha
A remake of the 1991 British TV movie titled ‘Bernard and the Genie,’ Peacock’s ‘Genie’ is a Christmas fantasy movie with Sam Boyd occupying the director’s chair. The plot features Paapa Essiedu as Bernard Bottle, a workaholic who has taken his wife Julie and young daughter Eve for granted while being flooded with work. When he misses Eve’s birthday, which falls 12 days before Christmas because of work, Julie decides to separate from him and make him realize what’s important in life. This is followed by Bernard’s boss firing him, leaving him all alone in his apartment contemplating his life choices.
Feeling dejected, Bernard comes across a dusty jewelry box in his home and as soon as he rubs off the dust, he releases a genie named Flora who has the superability to grant unlimited wishes. Instilled with hope again, he tries to win back the love of his family with the help of his new friend. The comedy-drama film unfolds in New York City, including the protagonist’s residence and office, leaving the viewers wondering where ‘Genie’ was filmed.
Genie Was Shot in New York
‘Genie’ was filmed in New York State, particularly in New York City and Nyack. As per reports, principal photography for the holiday movie took place around March 2023. Given the vast and versatile landscape of the Empire State, it makes for a suitable filming site for different kinds of productions, including ‘Genie.’ So, allow us to take you through all the specific locations that served as filming sites!
New York City, New York
A significant portion of ‘Genie’ was lensed in New York City, which consists of five boroughs — the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Located in the northeastern part of the nation, the Big Apple’s terrains in different neighborhoods and streets were turned into film sets by the filmmaker and his team. For instance, the iconic and widely recognized Rockefeller Center at 45 Rockefeller Plaza appears in the backdrop of a few scenes, including the one where Bernard explains to Flora why Jesus is such an important figure.
Besides that, other NYC attractions might also appear in a few scenes, especially in some establishing shots of the cityscape, such as the Statue of Liberty, the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper Empire State Building, the ever-so-busy Times Square, Central Park, and Brooklyn Bridge. ‘Genie’ is not the first movie to be shot in New York City and it is not going to be the last as it has hosted the production of a number of film and TV projects, thanks to its iconic backdrops, access to top talent, film-friendly environment, and vibrant art and culture scene. Over the years, its locales have been featured in ’13 Going on 30,’ ‘Fools Rush In,’ ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ and ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’
Nyack, New York
Many pivotal sequences for ‘Genie’ were taped in and around the village of Nyack, which is a suburb of New York City located in Rockland County’s Orangetown. In March 2023, the director and his team were spotted recording some important scenes along South Broadway, specifically around the Art Cafe at 65 South Broadway and the Nyack Library at 59 South Broadway, where they set up numerous Christmas trees to match the Christmas setting in the plot. Furthermore, Bangkok Station Nyack at 12 Park Street served as one of the filming sites for the Melissa McCarthy starrer.
