You might not be surprised to learn that not all NYC movies were filmed in NYC, but you will be surprised when we show which of your favorite NYC movies were actually filmed outside our great city. This list isn’t comprised of films that just happen to be set in New York, but these are films that couldn’t be set anywhere else. They are films that speak to us as New Yorkers and have contributed, in no small way, to our love and appreciation of our city.
1. Gangs of New York
Martin Scorsese decided to make Gangs of New York Cinecitta Studio in Italy.
2. Escape from New York
Because of budget constraints John Carpenter’s dystopian action classic was filmed in Atlanta and St. Louis.
3. King Kong (2005)
Peter Jackson’s big-budget remake of King Kong he built the New York City sets at Camperdown Studios in New Zealand.
4. The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby showed us old-school New York City, but was filmed at the Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia.
5. American Psycho
1980s Wall Street was perfectly recreated in American Psycho but was actually filmed in the city of Toronto.
6. Hudsucker Proxy
The Coen brothers’ vision of New York City was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina and Chicago, Illinois.
7. Newsies
This classic musical was shot in Burbank, California.
8. Harlem Nights
This box office flop was actually brought to life in Burbank, California.
9. Hello Dolly
The New York City scenes in Hello, Dolly! were filmed in Californiaon on a backlot at 20th Century-Fox
10. Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls was filmed entirely on the Goldwyn lot in Hollywood, California.
11. 42nd Street
Despite the name, this love letter to Broadway was filmed on a backlot at Warner Brothers Studios.