Ontario, “A Place to Grow,” has been featured in many famous movies. The silver screen comes to life in this province, which is often used as a backdrop for film productions. A diverse range of settings, from bustling urban hubs to picturesque natural wonders, makes Ontario a great filming location. Charming and versatile, Ontario has it all!

Ontario has served as the canvas for iconic films like the comedy Billy Madison to 2000s classics like Mean Girls. My Big Fat Greek Weddings, The Shape of Water, and X-Men are also on the list of movies that feature Ontario filming locations.

Discover the behind-the-scenes tales and explore the locations that make Ontario a beloved destination for filmmakers and film buffs alike. Ontario is an integral part of this era’s movie magic!

Billy Madison

This 1995 comedy classic starring Adam Sandler as an adult party boy who must return to elementary through high school in order to win his father’s company back uses Ontario’s scenic beauty as a backdrop. Sandler’s wacky adventure heavily features the Madison family mansion, which is actually the Parkwood Estate in Oshawa, Ontario. 

This property is no stranger to film crews. The mansion was built in 1916 for the founder of the Canadian sector of General Motors. Various parts of Toronto and the University of Toronto also provide the urban settings for Billy Madison.

Mean Girls

This 2004 teen comedy written by Tina Fey and starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams is set in Evanston, Illinois, but mainly filmed in Toronto. The fictional North Shore High School is actually Etobicoke Collegiate Institute and Malvern Collegiate Institute. 

These Ontario establishments played the role of a typical American high school despite being in Canada. Eagle-eyed viewers and Toronto natives will recognize UT’s Convocation Hall and Sherway Gardens in the movie. This wildly successful teen dramedy solidified Ontario’s status as a versatile filming location.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

This 2002 romantic comedy starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett is set in Chicago, but parts were filmed in Toronto. The film revolves around the cultural clash caused by a Greek woman’s romantic relationship with her non-Greek fiancé and is chockful of quotable moments and heart-warming love.

Unsurprisingly, Toronto’s Greektown neighbourhood is a main character in the movie. The Danforth also serves as the backdrop for many street scenes. Take a stroll around town next time you visit Toronto, and you might recognize some of the scenes from this beloved movie that has inspired a series of sequels.

Lucky Girl

Although there are plenty of Ontario casinos to choose from, this gambling-themed movie from 2001 does not actually feature any of them. Instead, it follows the story of Elisa Cuthbert, a teenager obsessed with sports and internet gambling. 

Ontario filming locations include Hamilton and Toronto, where the drama of this coming-of-age tale unfolds. This film explores self-discovery, themes of chance and danger, and the challenges of growing up. Keep an eye open on your next trip to Ontario to see how many of the surrounding areas you can spot!

X-Men

When this action-hero movie hit theatres in 2000, it launched an incredibly popular franchise that, in turn, spurred on many other superhero franchises. X-Men features Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, and others as mutants with special abilities and life-saving powers. The heavily featured mansion in the movie is a combination of two huge houses, both in Ontario—Casa Loma and Parkwood Estates.

Toronto’s Distillery District can also be spotted, as can the Metro Hall Council Chambers, Rouge National Urban Park, and a former Canadian Railway Station that now serves as a Hamilton event space. Take in Toronto and the greater area’s sights when you watch these epic mutants battle for their rights and the good of mankind.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

The 2010 film with Michael Cera (who is from Brampton!) brings the iconic world of the popular graphic novel to life. Unlike the other movies on the list, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is actually set in Toronto, so the city gets to play itself instead of standing in for Chicago or another American locale.

The now-defunct Pizza Pizza location on Bathurst Street is practically a main character, along with Toronto’s Reference Library and Lee’s Palace. Casa Loma also appears, as do the Baldwin Steps and other iconic Toronto streets. 

The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro’s enchanting and mesmerizing The Shape of Water won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2017. Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon star in this romantic fantasy drama that was shot in part in Toronto and Hamilton. Hamilton City Hall, Massy Hall, Elgin Theatre, and bits of the University of Toronto Scarborough can be seen throughout the movie.

The feature film might be set in Cold War-era America, but Torontonians will recognize the Canadian locations that stand in for city shots in this movie. Discover a mysterious love story between woman and beast when you watch The Shape of Water.