‘CHiPs’ is a 2017 action-comedy movie based on the popular eponymous series that aired from 1977 to 1983. The buddy comedy follows a rookie cop, Jon Baker, who gets teamed up with Frank “Ponch” Poncherello (Michael Peña) and the chaos that the partnership leads to. But that is not all, as Ponch is also working undercover to investigate a heist and a criminal ring that has invaded the police force itself.
Directed and written by Dax Shepard, who also stars as Jon, ‘CHiPs’ aims to replicate the fun of the TV series while also introducing the beloved duo to a new set of viewers. Like the original series, there is a lot of riding of motorcycles in the movie, and thus consequently, a lot of chases. You might be curious as to where the movie featuring lots of heavy action on the streets was shot. Well, we have the details.
CHiPs Filming Locations
Like the original series, created by Rick Rosner, the 2017 movie follows two Los Angeles area patrolmen. Naturally, most of the movie is shot in Los Angeles, with principal photography beginning on October 21, 2015. The crew mainly used the freeways and streets of Los Angeles County, while other California locations also filled in as filming sites.
Though a portion of the movie takes place in Miami, the production team never left California. The movie is closely affiliated with the show, and it is proven by the fact that the movie used some of the same locations as the show. Let’s delve into the specific locations that served as filming sites for the action movie!
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles is at the heart of the TV show, and it is no different in the case of the movie. Thus, the show and the movie feature a lot of common locations. Concentrating on the city itself, the movie features not only many streets and freeways of the city but also other notable locations. The actual California Highway Patrol Station on 777 West Washington Boulevard stands in for itself in the movie. Other locations in the city that served as filming sites are Echo Park, Tommy’s Burgers on 2575 West Beverly Boulevard, and the Port of Los Angeles.
The house of a policeman’s widow that the duo visits is actually 4224 West Mount Vernon Drive. Now, let’s talk about the actual streets and freeways that served as shooting sites. The Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro doubled up for a chase scene that takes place in Miami in the movie. The sites that were used for the street scenes include Stadium Way, Elysian Park, 4th Street Bridge, Riverside Drive, Arroyo Seco Parkway, Academy Road, and Western Avenue 19.
A freeway in the neighborhood of Hollywood is also featured in the movie. Interstate 210, passing through La Crescenta, is a location shared in common between the show and the movie. Interstate 105 in El Segundo is glimpsed in the scene with the speeder. The cast and crew also shot a few scenes at California State Polytechnic University at 3801 West Temple Avenue as well as the now-closed Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona. The Devil’s Punchbowl in the Angeles National Forest on the San Gabriel Mountains also served as a backdrop for a few scenes.
Other Locations in California
Additional shooting was done in other cities of The Golden State. The production team visited Long Beach to lens the majority of scenes set in Miami. The Arby’s Restaurant in the movie is in Huntington Beach, 7942 Edinger Avenue to be exact. The warehouse that explodes at the end of the movie is actually a ranch in Palmdale. It is called the Old Wilhoit Ranch but is renamed Kurtz Warehouse in the movie. A few scenes were also shot in Orange County, particularly in Irvine. The Masimo Building in Irvine doubled up as the FBI headquarters in the film.
Read More: Is CHiPs Based on a True Story?
