Did they actually film “Finch” in St. Louis, Missouri?
At the beginning of the story, Finch Weinberg lives in a subterranean lab that was owned by the company he worked for in St. Louis. After learning that he’s in the path of a destructive storm, Finch leaves St. Louis and journeys towards San Francisco. The state of the world in the movie makes it difficult to tell if we’re actually in St. Louis, so where was “Finch” filmed?
Like most big movies or television shows, “Finch” wasn’t actually shot on location. Instead of shooting in St. Louis, the film’s IMDB page says that they filmed in New Mexico and Toronto.
According to The Cinemaholic, they based the production at Albuquerque Studios, and they completed most interior scenes there. They shot outdoor scenes in other areas of the state with the exception of street scenes, which they shot in Toronto.
New Mexico is a popular filming destination that has been the home to favorites from both television and movies. Part of the state’s economy is tied to the thriving film industry that the state has cultivated. In fact, nearly 500 residents working on the production of “Finch.”
Acclaimed series like “Better Call Saul” and “Stranger Things” have filmed in the state, along with Oscar-winning movies like “No Country For Old Men,” according to IMDB. Fans of Christopher Nolan who are eagerly awaiting his next movie, “Oppenheimer,” might be happy to hear he filmed it in New Mexico.
Notable scenes from “Finch” shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque Studios was not the only place the production utilized in New Mexico’s largest city. There are still several striking interiors that make you ask the question: where was “Finch” filmed?
You may remember a couple of scenes where the characters were traversing abandoned buildings, such as the theater and the store. According to 6Park News, they filmed both of these scenes in Albuquerque.
It’s clear that the large production got all they could out of New Mexico with how distinct and varied some of the locations from the movie are. Dotcom Stories reports that they used New Mexico cities Santa Fe and Sorocco for filming, too. They also report that the production spent some time in a smaller New Mexico town called Los Lunas.
Other New Mexico “Finch” filming locations
Now that we know which scenes they shot in the city, we can move throughout the state. The cross-country trek that Finch and his companions go on is sure to inspire the question: where was “Finch” filmed?
One of the memorable scenes includes Finch Weinberg seeing one of New Mexico’s deserts as a lush field of flowers from before the solar event. According to Dotcom Stories, the production used the White Sands National Park to show the disparity.
IMDB tells us that the park has also hosted at least two Clint Eastwood movies – he filmed one of his Western classics, “Hang ‘Em High,” there along with a more recent entry, 2018’s “The Mule.”
Another New Mexico filming staple that the movie utilized is the Shiprock Formation, located in San Juan County, as reported by The Cinemaholic. The large rock formation is visually unique and hard to miss. Tom Green reports that you can also see the formation in the movies “The Avengers” and “Transformers.” The National Landmark is very significant to the native Navajo people, who call it Anasazi.
For the last New Mexico location that we’re going to cover today, we’ll turn to the movie’s star. In an Instagram post, Tom Hanks revealed that they filmed “Finch” partially along America’s historic highway, Route 66.
Love the look of New Mexico for the backdrop in your favorite movies? Then check out where they filmed other greats like “Silverado” and “Big Sky” next!
