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DeutschYou have seen Vancouver hundreds of times without knowing it. This city is one of the largest film production centres in North America — it has played New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Tokyo and the end of the world. Deadpool blew up its viaduct, the X-Files made its rain famous, and in 2026 Shōgun, The Last of Us and Yellowjackets are shooting here right now. Every location below is real — and you can stand on it.
🎬 The movies
📺 The television city
⭐ Born here: Vancouver's own stars
Hollywood North exports people, too.
Deadpool himself grew up here, went to Kitsilano Secondary, and shot Deadpool in his hometown. Co-owns the local Wrexham-style football fever too.
Started stand-up as a teen in Vancouver clubs before Superbad and Pineapple Express. The city's unofficial voice — literally: he announces on the SkyTrain.
Back to the Future legend; BC named a theatre after him. His foundation work made him one of Canada’s most-loved exports.
The crooner still lives in the area and pops up at local hockey games — Vancouver Giants part-owner.
How I Met Your Mother’s Robin and Marvel’s Maria Hill, UBC-bound before acting took over.
Stranger Things’ Mike Wheeler — cast from a Vancouver open call, still reps local bands and indie film.
Dawson’s Creek and Fringe star — Pacey went to school here.
The Matrix’s Trinity, born and raised in Metro Vancouver.
Discovered on a BC Lions stadium screen — the most famous jumbotron moment in Canadian history.
🏡 They live(d) here
Not just born here — these stars call (or called) Greater Vancouver home.
The 'Summer of '69' legend grew up on the North Shore, washed dishes on the Vancouver club circuit and cut his first records here — the city still claims every anthem.
Moved here at 19 to sign with a Vancouver label and never left — she founded the Sarah McLachlan School of Music in the city.
Stayed local through global fame; part-owner of the WHL Vancouver Giants.
Canada's most famous scientist-broadcaster built his career at UBC and remains one of the city's best-known residents.
Sex and the City’s Samantha went to school in Courtenay, BC — island roots she still talks about.
Lives in the US but shoots, invests and shows up here constantly — Deadpool filming turned into a months-long homecoming.
🎤 See a star live: concerts & big shows
Vancouver is a fixed stop on every major world tour — and hometown heroes like Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé regularly play emotional home shows. Where the big nights happen:
The Canucks' 18,000-seat home hosts the biggest arena tours downtown. Event calendar →
54,500 seats for stadium acts — Taylor Swift closed the Eras Tour here in Dec 2024. What's on →
The legendary 1929 sprung-floor club on Granville — everyone from U2 to Nirvana played it on the way up. Shows →
Broadway tours, symphony and legacy acts in two heritage rooms. Calendar →
🎟 Tickets for nearly everything above sell through Ticketmaster Canada — set a price alert early; Vancouver dates sell out fast.
🎥 How to spot a live film set (local tricks)
Look for yellow directional signs zip-tied to lampposts with cryptic codes — they guide crews to that day's set. Rows of white trailers and a catering tent confirm it. Creative BC publishes a live "In Production" list, and local outlets round up what's filming each month. Be respectful, stay behind the tape — and yes, locals really do walk past Marvel sets on the way to work.
❓ Filming in Vancouver — FAQ
Why is Vancouver called Hollywood North?
Vancouver is one of the largest film and TV production centres in North America, behind only Los Angeles and New York. Tax incentives, studio capacity, and scenery that can double for almost any city or wilderness have drawn productions here since the 1970s.
What famous movies were filmed in Vancouver?
Deadpool, Fifty Shades of Grey, the Twilight Saga (New Moon and Eclipse), Godzilla (2014), Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I, Robot, Juno, Happy Gilmore and First Blood (Rambo) were all shot in and around Vancouver.
What is filming in Vancouver right now?
In 2026, productions shooting in Metro Vancouver include Shōgun season 2, The Last of Us, Yellowjackets, Animal Control and Amazon's Life is Strange. Creative BC publishes a live 'In Production' list.
Can I visit Vancouver filming locations?
Yes — most are public places: Gastown, the Vancouver Art Gallery plaza, Stanley Park, Steveston Village (Storybrooke from Once Upon a Time) and the downtown core are free to walk any day.
Make a movie day of it
Walk Gastown and downtown for the big-franchise locations, day-trip to Steveston for Storybrooke, then see the skyline every director loves from Stanley Park. Planning around it? Start with our itineraries and getting-around guide.