From blockbuster action flicks to Oscar-winning dramas, Montreal has quietly become one of Hollywood’s favourite stand-ins.
Sure, these movies aren’t usually set in the city itself, but its unique blend of European architecture and North American grit makes it a perfect double for New York, Paris, or just about anywhere else. Over the years, A-list stars have headed here as film crews turned McGill into a Manhattan campus, Old Montreal into France, and even the city’s outskirts into alien landing zones.
With that in mind, here are 11 famous Hollywood films that shot key scenes right here in Montreal.
The Score (2001)
This underrated heist thriller starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, and Marlon Brando (in his last on-screen role) is basically a love letter to Old Montreal’s charm. The crew filmed extensively in the Old Port, using spots like the historic Montreal Customs House at 400 Place d’Youville as a key setting for the big score.
You can even spot the city’s skyline on display in the trailer.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Steven Spielberg’s cat-and-mouse hit starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks was filmed in over 140 locations, and several sequences were shot in Quebec.
The scene where DiCaprio’s character is arrested was filmed in Quebec City’s Place Royale, and his prison was the old St-Vincent-de-Paul facility in Laval. Lionel-Groulx metro station also makes a brief appearance.
The Aviator (2004)
Shortly after wrapping Catch Me If You Can, DiCaprio was back shooting in Montreal for The Aviator.
Several major scenes from Martin Scorsese’s epic biopic about Howard Hughes were shot at Mel’s Cité du Cinéma in Montreal and nearby Saint-Hubert, Quebec. The famous Cocoanut Grove nightclub was rebuilt on a soundstage there, and the exterior of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was also duplicated for Hughes’ glamorous Hell’s Angels premiere.
The Notebook (2004)
While this beloved romantic drama is set in South Carolina, its battlefield scenes were filmed just outside Montreal, taking advantage of the region’s picturesque winter landscapes to depict World War II sequences.
The Terminal (2004)
Steven Spielberg’s heartfelt comedy-drama featuring Tom Hanks as a man stranded in an airport terminal used Montréal-Mirabel International Airport for its exterior shots, standing in for New York’s JFK Airport.
Montreal is even mentioned over the loudspeaker early in the film, around the time the customs officer directs the Hanks to a special line.
Get Smart (2008)
This Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway spy comedy was partially shot at McGill University, where classic stone buildings easily passed for high-security Washington D.C. offices.
White House Down (2013)
This Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx action flick was built almost entirely in Montreal. After filming wrapped, Global News reported that its White House interior sets were constructed inside Mel’s Cité du Cinéma, making for one of the city’s most ambitious studio builds to date.
Arrival (2016)
Quebec-born director Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi drama may take place in rural America, but the eerie landing site was actually filmed on farmland near Saint-Fabien, Bas-Saint-Laurent, with the crew based out of Montreal.
Murder Mystery (2019)
Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston’s Netflix blockbuster was partly filmed in Quebec, with production handled by Montreal crews. The Quebec Film and Television Council celebrated it as one of the province’s biggest international shoots,
Scream VI (2023)
This one was less of a secret since McGill University and parts of downtown were transformed into New York City for the sixth installment of the slasher series. Streets around Sherbrooke were lined with yellow cabs and NYPD cruisers while the campus became “Blackmore University.”
You can see photos of the full set transformation in MTL Blog’s behind-the-scenes gallery.
