The Shazam! Guide to Toronto
TOP 12 SHAZAM! FILMING LOCATIONS IN TORONTO
BY: V. RHODES
Shazam! (2019), motion picture, Warner Bros. Pictures.
A TORONTO SUPERHERO
Easily one of the funnest superhero movies to come from the boom in this genre. Shazam! (2019) will make you wish you could run around with your bestie while trying out super-powers. Although the film is set in Philadelphia, the primary production took place in Toronto. We visit some of the more recognizable locations from the movie, let's explore! Billy Batson, I choose you!
PLOT
Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is a 14-year-old loner who moves into a new foster home. He accidentally meets a wizard and inherits powers, turning into the superhero - Shazam (Zachary Levi). Billy and his foster brother Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) bond over this new secret. Billy needs to learn to use his powers quickly before Dr. Thaddeus Silvana (Mark Strong) takes over Shazam’s abilities.
#1
Vasquez House
Vasquez House
208 Dunn Avenue, Toronto, ON M6K 2R9
After running from 23 foster homes, Billy ends up with his new family: the Vasquez’s. Eventually, he bonds with Freddy and his other five four siblings Darla, Mary, Pedro and Eugene. The house is located in a Toronto neighbourhood called Parkdale. For a while it was operating as a bed and breakfast.
#2
Fawcett Central
Fawcett Central
Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute
800 Greenwood Ave, Toronto, ON M4J 4B7
Billy and his siblings all attend the same school, Fawcett Central. There are a bunch of scenes that all take place out front, including when the bullies fight Freddy and Billy, and when their car gets crushed.
#3
Market-Frankford Subway Station Exterior
Market-Frankford Subway Station
Greenwood Station - Linnsmore Crescent, Toronto, ON M4J 4J6
After standing up for Freddy, Billy gets chased down by the school bullies. He hops the fence runs into Greenwood Station. But like most movies filmed in Toronto, he ends up at Lower Bay.
#4
Market-Frankford Subway Station Interior
Lower Bay Station
1240 Bay St., Toronto, ON M5R 2A7
Billy slides down the escalators, gets onto a subway train, the doors close on the bullies and he narrowly escapes. Lower Bay Station is one of the most popular filming locations in Toronto. Productions like Suicide Squad (2016), New York Minute (2004), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), The Boys (2019-Current) and much more, have all been filmed at this abandoned subway turned filming set.
#5
Subway cart
TOROnto SUBWAY CART
Billy gets onto a subway train, the doors close on the bullies and he narrowly escapes. Eagled-eyed viewers will recognize silver cars, red doors with the red seats and blue seats as being a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) subway. This is where Billy gets taken to the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou).
#6
Back Alleyway
Pirate Bikes
1416 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6K 1L9
When Billy gets turned into Shazam, he panics and tries to get Freddy to help him turn back. Freddy is obviously sceptical if this is or isn't Billy. They go into a Toronto laneway behind the locally famous bike shop: Pirate Bikes. You can see their logo graffitied on the back wall mural.
#7
Busy Bee Convenience Store
Busy Bee Food Mart
524 Barton St E, Hamilton, ON L8L 2Y8
The Busy Bee convenience store that Billy and Freddy go to to buy beer is actually located in Hamilton. And with all convenience stores in Ontario, they don’t actually sell liquor. But you can load up on candy like these guys do. This is also where Billy realizes he is bullet proof. Although the entire interior was rearranged for the movie, the exterior is almost completely untouched.
#8
Hero Training warehouse
Hearn Generating Station
440 Unwin Ave, Toronto, ON M4M 3B9
Hearn Generating Station is a decommissioned electrical generating station in Toronto, that is now a popular location for filming. In 2018, Ontario Power Generation sold Hearn Generating to their long time tenant, Studios of America, for over $16 million.
So although you can’t visit this site, you will recognize it from other productions like Pacific Rim (2018), Killjoys (2015-2019), Star Trek: Discovery (2017-current), and Robocop (2014).
#9
Tall Building
Dynamic Funds Tower
1 Adelaide St E, Toronto, ON M5C 2V9
During the training sequence Freddy insists that Billy tries to “leap a tall building in single bound” like Superman can. The attempt doesn't go well when Billy jumps through a building instead of over it. In the movie they are standing at the back of the Dynamic Funds Tower.
#10
Veni Machine
Coronation Park
711 Lake Shore Blvd W, Toronto, ON M5V 1A7
I love the antics that Billy and Freddy get up to, after all they are in middle school! They use Billy’s powers to get an unlimited amount of Dr. Pepper’s, and after Billy uses his super speed to chug them, he sprints into the bathroom. You get a shot of the overall Coronation Park pavilion with lighting coming up the top.
#11
Bus Catch Underpass
Bentway
250 Fort York Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3K9
First of all, I have to say how much I LOVE the Bentway! This area was revitalized in 2015, with the goal of transforming the underside of the Gardiner Expressway into a public space for the city of Toronto. Since then it has been the home for countless art insulations, food spots, a skating rink, and a roller skate rental and path.
In the movie, a bus is knocked off the highway, and Shazam catches it. Where is he sanding to catch the bus? On the Bentway! You can see the entry into the Fort York visitor centre behind him as he talks to reporters.
#12
Woodbine Mall
Woodbine Mall & Fantasy Fair
500 Rexdale Blvd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 6K5
The battle between Billy and Thaddeus continues from the Bentway and all the way to Woodbine Mall. Although the ‘Santa’s Village’ set was created for the movie, the escalators and storefronts are still very recognizable as Woodbine Mall.
Not only is Woodbine Mall a shopping destination, but it is home to Fantasy Fair, a year-round indoor amusement park.
did you like shazam!? or do you have a different favourite hero? Let us know in the comments!
WE KNOW YOU WANT MORE!
HOW DO YOU WANT TO FILMTRIP?
Love it? PIN IT!
IMAGE CREDIT
All screencaps are used for non-commercial entertainment and education purposes. We are not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with any movie studios. All copyrights, trademarks, and logos are owned by their respective owners. If you own the rights to any of the images and do not wish them to appear on the site, please contact us and they will promptly be removed.
References
Flack, Derek. “A Guide to the Hidden Spaces of the TTC.” BlogTO, October 2020.
Pelley, Lauren. “City hoping to buy massive Hearn generating station on Toronto's waterfront - but can it?” CBC News, 01 February 2019.