There were some big-time stars, people like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Dern, in town last year.
The city saw popular shows filmed here, like Schwarzenegger’s action thriller 鈥溾 and Amazon Prime’s 鈥溾 and 鈥.鈥
Amazon Prime鈥檚 detective show “Cross” shot a scene at the Imperial Variety store on Wellington Street North last year.
Daniel Nolan photoThere were also Christmas rom-coms, horror programs, sci-fi shows, family dramas and the perennial 鈥淢urdoch Mysteries鈥 (expected to have a 19th season this year) and the final and fourth season of the CTV sitcom 鈥溾 The Trump biopic 鈥淭he Apprentice鈥 also shot scenes in Hamilton (the film is up for two Oscars).
There was a lot, but the city didn’t set a record for film productions in 2024.
Due to a bit of a hangover from the actors and writers strikes in the U.S. in 2023, the city saw 139 productions shoot on its streets, in its homes and businesses or in its studios last year.
The year 2022 still holds the record with 177 productions shot here.
The city’s film office says the productions reported spending $59.5 million in Hamilton in 2024. The year 2022 saw $73 million pumped into the local economy.
In 2023, during the strikes, the city had 148 productions come here, but they pumped $50 million into the local economy. The strike by the actor’s union, SAG-AFTRA, ran from July 14 to Nov. 19. The Writers Guild of America was on strike May 2 to Sept. 27. Some shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime put their shoots on hold until the strikes ended.
鈥淲e’re thrilled to see production volumes continuing to hold strong in Hamilton, despite a challenging year including lasting impacts from 2023’s labour disruption and a general downturn of activity in the industry,鈥 Kim Adrovez, manager, creative industries and cultural development, said in a statement to The Spectator.
鈥淲e saw only a slight (six per cent) decrease in the number of productions shooting in Hamilton, and production spending actually increased by 15 per cent from 2023.
鈥淭hese results highlight the ongoing economic benefit that film and television production brings to our community.鈥
The money spent in the community does not include fees paid by film companies to the City of Hamilton.
The province’s last accounting of jobs created by TV and filming productions in Ontario dates to 2023 and refers to the year 2022. It is expected the province will release updated information this spring.
ACTRA Toronto, however, released data for 2023 and reported that in Ontario there were 404 productions that pumped $1.8 billion into the economy and created 25,862 jobs.
The province said in 2022 there were 419 productions that pumped $3.15 billion into the Ontario economy and created 45,891 jobs.
The tire truck for Eccles Auto Service in downtown Dundas was dressed up last year for the shooting of the Hallmark movie “Trading Up Christmas.”
Daniel Nolan photoHere is a list of some productions filmed in Hamilton in 2024:
- Amazon Prime: 鈥淩eacher,鈥 鈥淐ross,鈥 鈥溾
- CBC: 鈥淐anada’s Ultimate Challenge,鈥 鈥淢urdoch Mysteries,鈥 鈥淪mall Achievable Goals鈥
- Crave: 鈥淐anada’s Drag Race,鈥 鈥淟ate Bloomer,鈥 鈥淯nderbelly鈥
- CTV: 鈥淐hildren Ruin Everything,鈥 鈥淪ullivan’s Crossing,鈥 鈥淪ight Unseen鈥
- Great American Family: 鈥淩oyal Christmas Ball鈥
- Hallmark: 鈥淎 Dance in the Snow,鈥 鈥淭rading up Christmas,鈥 鈥淐hristmas Charade,鈥 鈥淎 ‘90s Christmas鈥
- History Channel: 鈥淭he Food That Built America鈥
- Hollywood Suite: 鈥淐reepy Bits鈥
- Hulu/CTV Drama Channel: 鈥淭he Handmaid’s Tale,鈥 鈥淪nowflakes鈥
- Max: 鈥淲elcome to Derry鈥
- NBC/Peacock: 鈥,鈥 鈥淒evil in Disguise,鈥 鈥淭wisted Metal鈥
- Netflix: 鈥淭he Madness,鈥 鈥淔UBAR,鈥 鈥淔ear Street: Prom Queen,鈥 鈥淲ayward鈥 (formerly 鈥淭all Pines鈥)
- OWN: 鈥淢istletoe and Matrimony鈥
- BBC/TVO: 鈥淔ake or Fortune鈥
Actor Nina Kiri and director Melanie Charbonneau go over a scene for “Out Standing,” which shot scenes in Flamborough and east Hamilton.
Daniel Nolan photoFilms included 鈥淣orthbound,鈥 with Bruce Dern, 鈥淭iny Fugitives鈥 with Johnny Knoxville, 鈥,鈥 the story of Canada’s first female infantry officer, and the horror film 鈥淜iss of Death.鈥 鈥淧lan C,鈥 a thriller shot in Burlington, was written and directed by actor Scott Cavalheiro.
The site productions visited most was the Scottish Rite, being used by nine productions.
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