American Gods is a fantasy drama TV series based on the novel by Neil Gaiman. The story follows Shadow Moon, a former convict who loses his wife and then gets caught in a conflict between the Old Gods and the New Gods. The series takes viewers on a journey across different places, showing that it was filmed in various locations in Canada and the USA. Let’s explore these filming locations.
Where was “American Gods” Filmed?
‘American Gods’ was filmed in various locations across Canada and the USA, including Ontario, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. The first season was produced under the working title ‘Mr. Chocolates.’ Here are the details!
Toronto, Ontario
Most of the scenes in American Gods were filmed in and around Toronto. Special effects scenes were shot at Cinespace Film Studios, located at 777 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke. This studio has large spaces and even underwater filming facilities. Cinespace has worked on other famous shows like Flatliners, Black Mirror, and The Umbrella Academy. Scenes were also filmed in several places in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Notable locations include the New Plaza Motel, Central Presbyterian Church, the George Street Diner, Hughson Street, Enercare Centre, Dominion Public Building, Cube nightclub, and Canadian Tire at Warden and Eglinton.
The Hawkridge Farm, also known as the Eaton Family Mansion, was used as the house of Easter, the Old Goddess of spring. This mansion is on 150 acres of land and has a large house with 11 bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool. Hamilton was used to stand in for New York City and Chicago. The funeral scene in Season 1 was filmed at Hamilton Cemetery. The Scottish Rite building at 4 Queen Street South was also used for some scenes.
The Viking scene at the start of the series was filmed at Scarborough Bluffs. Other places around Toronto, such as Vaughan, Brantford, Galt, Guelph, Cambridge, and Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, were also used. The church where Shadow and Laura get married was filmed at Dewi Sant Welsh United in Orono, which was used again for Laura’s funeral. Shadow’s old house is also near this location.
Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador: Bay Roberts is a coastal town with a large port. Scenes showing coastal landscapes in the series were filmed here. The town’s protected port makes it a good location for these scenes.
Niagara Falls, Ontario: Niagara Falls is a famous tourist spot known for its stunning waterfalls. In American Gods, some scenes set in Cairo were actually filmed in the streets of historic downtown Niagara Falls.
Oklahoma, USA
Ponca City, Oklahoma: Ponca City, located in Kay County, was used to film exterior shots of the historic downtown area. This town provided the setting for some of the series’ scenes.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, the capital and largest city of Oklahoma, was another filming location. The North Canadian River divides the city into two parts, which affects the city’s culture and geography. Scenes were filmed here, and the Gloss Mountain State Park, about two hours away, was used as Shakamak State Park in the series.
McAlester, Oklahoma: McAlester, known for the McAlester State Penitentiary, was used for filming the prison scenes. This large prison, often called the “Big Mac,” covers 1,556 acres of land.
Spring Green, Wisconsin
A significant portion of Season 2 was filmed at House on the Rock in Spring Green. This place includes the Infinity Room and is a popular tourist spot. The main house was built in 1959 on Deer Shelter Rock. In the first episode of Season 2, you can also spot an old Boeing C-97 outside Don Q Inn, located between Dodgeville and House on the Rock, which is featured in a road trip sequence.
American Gods was filmed in various locations across Canada and the USA, including Toronto, Bay Roberts, Niagara Falls, Ponca City, Oklahoma City, McAlester, and Spring Green. These diverse locations helped bring the world of American Gods to life, providing the perfect backdrop for its epic story.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – American Gods
Q: Where was American Gods filmed?
A: American Gods was filmed in a variety of locations across Canada and the USA. The series prominently features Toronto, Ontario, where many scenes were shot at Cinespace Film Studios and other locations around the Greater Toronto Area. Additional scenes were filmed in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador, for coastal landscapes, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, which served as a stand-in for Cairo. In the USA, filming took place in Ponca City and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as McAlester, which was used for prison sequences. Spring Green, Wisconsin, also featured prominently, particularly at the House on the Rock.
Q: When was American Gods filmed?
A: Filming for American Gods began in early 2016 and continued through early 2017, with the production of the first season starting under the working title ‘Mr. Chocolates.’ The second season began filming in 2017 and concluded in 2018. The third season was scheduled to film between September 20, 2019, and March 6, 2020. Production began in October 2019 in Toronto.
Q: When was American Gods released?
A: American Gods premiered its first season on April 30, 2017, on the Starz network. The second season followed and premiered on March 10, 2019. The show received attention for its imaginative storytelling and striking visuals.
Q: Who stars in American Gods?
A: The main cast of American Gods includes Ricky Whittle as Shadow Moon, a former convict who becomes Mr. Wednesday’s bodyguard. Emily Browning plays Laura Moon, Shadow’s wife who returns as a revenant, and also portrays Essie MacGowan, an Irish woman whose belief in leprechauns changes her life. Crispin Glover stars as Mr. World, the New God of Globalization, while Bruce Langley takes on the role of the Technical Boy, the New God of Technology. Yetide Badaki plays Bilquis, a goddess of love, and Pablo Schreiber appears as Mad Sweeney, a leprechaun. Ian McShane portrays Mr. Wednesday, the god Odin, and Orlando Jones plays Mr. Nancy, a trickster god.
