Arka Mukhopadhyay
A few navigations in a keyboard can spark off the third world war. Simon Kinberg, the screenwriter-director who reared ‘X Men: Dark Phoenix,’ brings an all-star cast into fruition in the female-centric spy thriller ‘The 355.’ When a potentially devastating top-secret weapon falls into the hands of bad people, a team of skilled female espionage must team up and embark upon a deadly mission to eliminate the threat of another world war.
The motley team includes CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown, German agent Marie, former MI6 ally and tech operator Khadijah, and Colombian psychologist Graciela. Jessica Chastain delivers a spirited performance alongside Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, and Penelope Cruz in the central roles. The sprawling action thriller gives us a global tour, and we see actions unfolding in places ranging from peaceful Parisian cafes to exotic Moroccan markets. However, you may seek to deduce the areas the production team visited while making the movie. If the thought is bugging you, let us put an end to your woes.
The 355 Filming Locations
‘The 355’ was filmed in locations in and around the UK, the US, Morocco, and France, especially London and Washington DC. Principal photography commenced on July 8, 2019, while additional reshoots took place in July 2020 with adequate pandemic measures. Tim Maurice-Jones served as the cinematographer, while Simon Elliott took care of production design chores. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was filmed!
London, England
A bulk of scenes was filmed in and around London, the capital of England and the UK, and one of the most iconic cities in the world. The crew took a detailed tour of the city before the commencement of filming. Landmark filming locations in the Londinium included the Freemasons’ Hall, an iconic building featuring art deco style architecture at 60 Great Queen Street in the district of Holborn in central London. In one scene, the women attempt to intercept pertinent information. The scene was filmed inside the Grand Temple.
Another scene, where Khadijah confronts the evil of Lin Mi Sheng, was filmed in the corridor. Founded in 1775 as a meeting place for Masons, the establishment now serves as the headquarters for the United Grand Lodge of England and the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England. Apart from a central Grand Temple (Masonic meeting place), the building features 26 other temples, a library, a museum, and other administrative offices, board rooms, storage rooms, workshops, etc.
In one scene from the movie, the agent quartet arrives for an event outside an imperial building. The sequence was filmed outside the Senate House Library, the central library of the University of London situated at Malet Street in the city. Several other scenes were also filmed in parts of the city, including a sequence in the Port of Tilbury.
I could be wrong but I think that they are filming the new 355 spy thriller at Senate House today. It's covered in Chinese Laterns and there's a large Shanghai Auction House sign …..
— Razzbingo (@razzbingo) September 5, 2019
Paris, France
The movie begins in Paris, and thus, the director took the cast and crew to the same city to facilitate filming. Filming commenced in Paris in 2019. Scenes filmed in the city include an early sequence where Merc has breakfast in a Parisian café with boyfriend Nick. The scene escalates into a full-fledged chasing sequence, which was also filmed in the same area. Due to its pivotal importance in the history of cinema, and its specific brand of culture, Paris has been welcoming productions since long. From ‘Before Sunset’ to ‘Midnight in Paris’ to ‘Breathless,’ numerous classics were filmed in the city.
the biggest f i’ve ever taken is when my friends were in paris on a school trip and 355 (movie) was filming literally right outside their hotel and they could see the filming and seb stan and jessica chastain were there…still annoyed abt that 🙁
— alice (@blueweekendss) October 6, 2019
Morocco
Some scenes were filmed in the far-flung location in Morocco, the northwesternmost country of North Africa’s Maghreb region. The director and the production team filmed quite a few scenes in the region, including some tense action sequences. From Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ‘Babel’ to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception,’ Morocco served as a location to several global-scale productions.
Washington, District of Columbia
Additionally, filming occurred in Washington, District of Columbia, the capital city and the administrative center of the United States, and one of the most prestigious cities in the country. Parts of the story unravel in the US, and thus, the production team returned to the city to film a few scenes. Some establishing shots from the movie capture the landmark locations of the city. If you ever plan to visit the capital, a detailed historical tour would be imperative, beginning with the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Read More: Is The 355 Based on a True Story?
