Shuvrajit Das Biswas
Christmas is around the corner and Netflix is getting in the mood for the holidays with movies that will make you appreciate the oncoming season of love and giving even more. ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ is the latest offering from Monika Mitchell, the Vancouver born director. Naturally, there is a lot of excitement at the Canadian touches in the movie, which does not just limit itself to the people involved behind the camera, but extends to the very filming locations for the ‘The Knight Before Christmas’.
If you are taken in by the picturesque snow-covered towns in the movie, with their little twinkling lights, you might be wondering about where the movie has been filmed, because it sure looks magical and would make for a good getaway destination. Don’t worry, we have got you covered as far as the filming locations for ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ is concerned, but not all readers might be familiar with the story, so let us get that out-of-the-way.
The Knight Before Christmas Filming Locations
The basic plot follows a sorceress who transports a medieval knight to the present-day world. He meets a kind science teacher in Ohio, who helps him figure out how to navigate a world he is unfamiliar with. She also tries to help him understand how to fulfill the quest to get back home, but the knight grows closer to the woman and begins to wonder if he should return to his old life. Naturally, Josh Whitehouse plays the knight and Vanessa Hudgens appears as the woman helping him.
Toronto, Canada
The wonderful love story plays out in an idyllic town. We will soon get to where the place movie was actually filmed. But first, let us get Ireland out-of-the-way, where small parts of the film were shot for a couple of days. A significant chunk of filming also took place in Toronto, the biggest Canadian city and a filmmaking hotspot. This makes sense since the director would want to make a film on her home turf where she is more familiar with the places.
Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
Let’s reveal the surprise now. The majority of The Knight Before Christmas filming took place in Bracebridge and Orilla, Ontario. Both the towns are located around 100 miles north of Toronto and are considered tourist hubs.
The cottage country is clearly understandable in the movie. However, for Bracebridge to become the location where most of the movie is filmed was not an easy process. In fact, reports suggest that three communities were in the running, but the crew seemed to enjoy interacting with the people at Bracebridge, making for a positive experience. The deal clincher would have to be Santa’s Village, which is a theme park open all year round to the people.
Hudgens described her time filming there, saying that they had added more lights and it started to snow, making it really magical for those on set. Local reports from Muskoka have more information on the matter, where Jill Harrison, the economic development programmer of the municipality has confirmed that Santa’s Village pushed the crew over the edge, and they even canceled one of their community visits, believing they found the right spot. She went on to state that 90% of ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ has been filmed in Bracebridge. Notably, the weather in Ontario, which remains somewhat chilly in Spring, made it easier for the cast members to portray the feeling of Christmas, as Hudgens commented in an interview.
If you are wondering about some of the iconic Bracebridge locations you might spot in the movie, let us turn your attention to Taylor Road, which is clearly recognizable in the film. The Mayor addressed the filming at Bracebridge too, acknowledging that the crew would spend most of the time there, apart from a couple of days in Ireland. He continued, saying that the movie would boost the economy of the place in what is a soft time, during the year. Harrison added that ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ is likely to have netted Bracebridge something between $2 million to $3 million.
A closer look at the transit routes in Bracebridge could give you a better idea of the filming locations in the Canadian community. The stop at Taylor Road at Hiram Street remained closed for the shooting as did the stop at St. Thomas Anglican Church at Manitoba Street and Mary Street. The stop near the Shier Building also remained closed, suggesting that shooting commenced nearby. The stop at Ann Street at James Street was clearly closed for filming, as reported by the local authorities. While the shooting need not have taken place at these exact locations, it could very well have taken place near them.
So, now that you have seen ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ and know where the film was shot, when are you booking your next flight to Bracebridge?
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