Naman Shrestha
With Luke Greenfield at the helm, Prime Video’s ‘Playdate’ stars Kevin James as Brian, a downtrodden man who recently became unemployed after getting sacked from his job. As he assumes the new role of a stay-at-home father to his 10-year-old stepson, he receives a playdate invitation from another stay-at-home, charming dad named Jeff on his first day. However, it is only after accepting the invitation that Brian realizes it wasn’t the best decision, as both of them get involved in a deadly conspiracy.
What was supposed to be a fun and exciting playdate with their respective sons, where they could talk about sports and school, turns into a survival situation as four of them are chased by a group of dangerous mercenaries. Besides James, the action comedy movie features Alan Ritchson, Sarah Chalke, Alan Tudyk, Stephen Root, and Isla Fisher. The high-octane, action-packed story starts unfolding at the seemingly peaceful residences of the two fathers, Brian and Jeff. However, the backdrops constantly keep changing as the characters fight for survival throughout the fast-paced narrative.
Playdate Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘Playdate’ was conducted in its entirety in British Columbia, particularly in Greater Vancouver and Abbotsford. As per reports, principal photography for the Alan Ritchson starrer commenced in March 2024 and went on for more than a month before wrapping up in April of the same year. After the conclusion of the busy shooting process, Jason Benoit, one of the producers, took to social media and stated, “And just like that “Playdate” is wrapped. Excited for you all to get to see it. Also excited to get some sleep.”
Greater Vancouver, British Columbia
Most of the pivotal sequences for ‘Playdate’ were lensed in different parts of Greater Vancouver, including the city of North Vancouver. The scenes involving the home settings of the two families were shot in and around a real-life property in the Boulevard neighborhood. Numerous key portions were also reportedly filmed in the downtown area of the city of Vancouver. During the shooting process, the cast and crew members were also spotted taping key portions in the city of Maple Ridge, especially along the Golden Ears Way and a few entertainment venues.
Furthermore, the production team set up camp in the city of Pitt Meadows. To be specific, in late March 2024, the area around the Cineplex Odeon in the Meadowtown Shopping Centre at 19800 Lougheed Highway #410 in Pitt Meadows was turned into a film set where they recorded various important scenes. Apart from ‘Playdate,’ the metropolitan area has hosted the production of several film and TV projects, including ‘Eternity,’ ‘Joy Ride,’ ‘Scary Movie,’ ‘White Chicks,’ ‘Hot Tub Time Machine,’ ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,’ ‘Eureka,’ and ‘High Potential.’
Abbotsford, British Columbia
To create the visual aesthetic of narrative, the cast and crew of ‘Playdate’ also visited Abbotsford, a picturesque city in the central Fraser Valley in British Columbia. To capture the high-octane action sequences, the production team settled on Castle Fun Park, located at 36165 N Parallel Road, near the Trans-Canada Highway. According to reports, a popular attraction at the amusement park called The Go-Kart Race Way served as the shooting spot for several adrenaline-fueled scenes that showcase the chaos and tension of Brian and Jeff’s thrilling misadventures. Over the years, Abbotsford has gained a reputation as a favorable filming destination and has also hosted the production of ‘Good Boys,’ ‘The Package,’ ‘Dangerous Lies,’ and ‘Shooter.’
