Deepra Sarkar
Written and directed by Paul Haggis, ‘The Next Three Days’ has a star-studded cast with Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks in the lead roles. It is a remake of the 2008 French original titled ‘Pour Elle’ or ‘Anything for Her.’ The prison-break thriller follows a married couple John (Crowe) and Lara Brennan (Banks), whose life turns upside down when Lara is wrongly convicted for the murder of her boss. Lara is sentenced to life in prison, and John is left behind to raise their son all by himself.
John is somehow convinced that his wife is innocent, and a few years after her conviction, John plans to break his wife out of prison. He takes the help of an ex-con and escape-artist, Damon Pennington (Liam Neeson), to devise the perfect jail-break plan. The film is characterized by suspense-filled scenes as the husband-wife duo tries to avert the eyes of the law. If you’re curious to know about the filming locations, we have got you covered.
The Next Three Days Filming Locations
The filming for ‘Next Three Days’ took place majorly in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with just a few scenes being shot in at least two locations in Colombia. According to local newspapers, the principal photography commenced in September 2009 in Pittsburgh and concluded in December 2009 after around 52 days of shooting. Here are the details of all the locations used in the movie.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
A majority of the scenes in ‘The Next Three Days’ were shot in Pittsburgh. The location was selected carefully by the production team to help define the characters more appropriately. Haggis said that the setting is supposed to give the audience an idea about the relationship between John and his “quiet, stoic father.” The writer-director added that he looked for a city that would be a reflection of the story showcasing two generations of men who are utterly devoted to their family members.
He further stated that the audiences should perceive John and his father as guys who would definitely break their wives out of prison. “They might die trying, but they won’t even blink at whether they’re going to do it or not,” he said. A few scenes were also shot at The Duquesne Incline, a funicular located near Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood that scales Mt. Washington in Pennsylvania to offer spectacular views of the city.
The Allegheny County Jail was used to shoot the scenes where John meets his wife Lara, who is behind bars. While the exteriors of the prison have been shown in the movie, the actual meeting between John and Lara was shot inside the Second Avenue facility of the prison. Other locations in Pittsburgh that appear in the film include Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, and one of the hospitals.
The Next Three Days is filming at the old children’s hospital in Pittsburgh (Thanks Jess!)
— olv (@olv) October 29, 2009
The airport terminal shown in the movie is actually the Pittsburgh International Airport. The medical courier van break-in scene was shot at the Pittsburgh Technology Center, located at 100 Technology Drive.
Cartagena, Colombia
The capital of the Bolivar region, Cartagena is located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea north of Colombia. A few shots of the last scenes in the movie were taken in Cartagena, the undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast. The port city comprises several islands and archipelagos and is an ideal vacation spot.
Santa Marta, Colombia
The production team also filmed a few shots in the film’s final scene in Santa Marta, which is the oldest city in Colombia. It is dotted with picturesque beaches and the spell-binding mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta range.
Read More: The Next Three Days Ending, Explained
