Naman Shrestha
The creation of Kurt Sutter, Netflix’s ‘The Abandons,’ revolves around two determined and powerful widowed matriarchs, Fiona Nolan and Constance, coming from drastically distinct walks of life. The former is an Irish woman who has built a small family of her own by adopting numerous orphans due to her inability to conceive a child of her own. On the other hand, Constance comes from a wealthy and privileged lineage of the Van Nesses.
A war wages between the two groups of families in 1850s Oregon, as Constance and her tribe plan to force Fiona’s family, called the Abandons, out of their newly acquired home in the state. As a result, the two matriarchs go head-to-head to battle for what they believe to be theirs. The Western action drama series features Emmy Award winners Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson in the lead, supported by Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Aisling Franciosi, Lucas Till, Lamar Johnson, and Natalia Del Riego. The enthralling tale takes the viewers to the Washington Territory in the 1850s, against the backdrop of hills and rugged landscape.
The Abandons Filming Locations
Production on ‘The Abandons’ primarily takes place in Alberta, especially in and around Calgary. Since the show is set in Oregon, a few portions are also shot on location. After months of delay in the shooting due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes, the principal photography reportedly commenced in May 2024. A few weeks before the conclusion of shooting in October 2024, the creator Kurt Sutter parted ways from the project, reportedly after Netflix saw the first episodes of the show. By the end of October, the filming was finally wrapped up.
Calgary, Alberta
The production team found the city of Calgary in southern Alberta and its surrounding areas to be the ideal location to tape the majority of ‘The Abandons.’ Shooting was specifically carried out on the CL Western Town and Backlot set, located on an eponymous ranch in Rocky View County, about 40 minutes west of Calgary in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is packed with a soundstage, farmhouse, vast grasslands, an abandoned mine, a deep forest, and many other spots and structures to recreate diverse settings spanning the 1850s to the 1930s.
Therefore, in order to create an era-accurate setting of the Old West, the cast and crew likely utilized several services offered by the 15,000-acre property. The purpose-built western film studio town is a prominent filming hub and has hosted the production of many movies and television shows over the years. Some of the titles that were filmed in the studio are ‘Billy the Kid,’ ‘Heartland,’ ‘Back to the Frontier,’ ‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Wynonna Earp,’ ‘Let Him Go,’ ‘Unforgiven,’ ‘Crossfire Trail,’ and ‘Monte Walsh.’
Oregon
Since the movie is set in rural Oregon, where several diverse families strive to fight against the corruption brought on by the powerful aristocrats, a minor chunk of the filming also took place in the state of Oregon in the US. To showcase the harsh realities of the American Frontier, the production team captured the gritty and rugged landscape of the state, thereby enriching the visual atmosphere of ‘The Abandons.’ The raw and dramatic scenery of Oregon can also be seen in movies and television shows like ‘Dead Man,’ ‘Maverick,’ ‘First Cow,’ ‘How the West Was Won,’ ‘Seraphim Falls,’ ‘Bend of the River,’ ‘Northwest Passage,’ ‘The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid,’ among others.
