Shubhabrata Dutta
The Prime Video sci-fi drama ‘War of the Worlds,’ AKA ‘War of the Worlds: Revival,’ takes a modern approach toward adapting H.G. Wells’ classic eponymous sci-fi novel. Directed by Rich Lee, the movie is showcased in screen-life format, using the mass surveillance program of cybersecurity analyst Will Radford (Ice Cube), who works at Homeland Security. With the theme of individual privacy vs. national security at its core, we follow Radford as his program receives an anonymous message about the secrets the government is hiding.
This revelation is immediately followed by the attack of entities from outer space, and Radford does whatever he can to protect his family. Events are revealed through computer screens, phones, and tablets, providing the viewers with an immersive first-person POV of what such a catastrophe can potentially be like in today’s digital world. The persuasive visuals of ‘War of the Worlds’ capture the essence of the world established using screens and real locations amid disaster and digital compromise.
War of the Worlds Filming Locations
‘War of the Worlds’ was filmed entirely in California, specifically in Universal City, Los Angeles, Stevenson Ranch, Santa Clarita, and Aqua Dulce. Principal photography reportedly began in the first week of November 2023 and continued for almost 8 months before wrapping up in the last week of June 2024. The SAG-AFTRA strike, which ran from July to November 2023, may have affected production at the beginning, considering the long time it took for the project to complete production.
Universal City, California
Universal Studios, located at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, became a primary base for filming. The studio has over 30 stages with sizes ranging from 3,500 to 36,000 square feet and over 30 backlots, including alleys, streets, a ranch, parks, a hospital, a waterfall, an underwater tank, and more. It is also home to a 3,500 square feet virtual production stage with a state-of-the-art LED curved wall and ceiling, necessary additional equipment, and skilled in-house staff. The studio has its own post-production services, boasting more than 185 customizable editing suites with secure Mix stages for color, VFX, editorial finishing, QC, Foley, digital mastering, restoration, and more. Movies like Portions of ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Live Free or Die Hard,’ ‘Transformers,’ and ‘Jurassic Park’ were filmed inside the studio premises.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, AKA the home of Hollywood, the seat of Los Angeles County, became another base for outdoor filming. Numerous scenes and sequences were captured with the city, its skyscrapers, and a golf course, too, of which the city has many, as the backdrops. The crew also accessed many areas and spots in Downtown Los Angeles, the city’s central business district, to tape indoor and outdoor shots, including the interiors of the Barclay Hotel at 103 East 4th Street. The historic hotel now serves as a housing project for the homeless.
If you are into movies and pop culture, Los Angeles is a must-visit. You can take a stroll down Hollywood Walk of Fame and Hollywood Boulevard, admire the Beverly Hills, and spend some much-needed leisure time at Long Beach. If you like learning new stuff, you can visit the Griffith Observatory, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Iconic sci-fi movies like ‘Inception,’ ‘Minority Report,’ and ‘The Terminator’ were all filmed in the city.
Stevenson Ranch, California
A few scenes of ‘War of the Worlds: Revival’ were recorded at Stevenson Ranch in Los Angeles County’s Santa Clarita Valley. Located in the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains, the community is known for its greenery and natural landscape, which comprises parks and numerous open spaces. The crew seemingly opted for the location to add variety to the visuals while showing the attack. Popular places you can visit include Jake Kuredjian County Park, Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park, Towsley Canyon Park, and William S. Hart Museum.
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita, in northwestern Los Angeles County, was also used as the setting for some sequences. The production team also accessed the neighborhood of Valencia to lens some scenes. Santa Clarita is famous for its ranches, like Melody Ranch, Sable Ranch, Golden Oak Ranch, and Rancho Deluxe, which are often used for filming, earning it the title of “Hollywood North.” Besides the ranches, popular tourist spots include Central Park, Valencia Town Center, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, and Bridgeport Marketplace Lake. Some other projects filmed in the city are ‘MaXXXine,‘ ‘Clipped,’ ‘The Sympathizer,’ and ‘Lights Out.’
Aqua Dulce, California
Lying northeast of Santa Clarita is Aqua Dulce, a census-designated place that has earned quite a reputation as a sought-after filming location. The Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, a 900-plus-hectare park, has served as the base for movies and shows like ‘Westworld,’ ‘The Scorpion King,’ ‘Wild Wild West,’ and ‘Fear Factor.’ The town also has many wineries and vineyards, like the Reyes Winery, Agua Dulce Winery, Pagter Brothers Winery & Tasting Room, and Pulchella Winery.
Read More: My Fault: London: Where Was the Amazon Prime Movie Filmed?
You must be logged in to post a comment.