From our returning network television favorites to major studio features and independent films, here’s what’s filming in Chicago and Illinois this summer. Cameras are rolling across town and throughout the state, bringing cast and crew to city streets, suburban neighborhoods and communities across Illinois.
Here’s a look at the projects currently filming or recently returning to production.
Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med
Chicago’s busiest television productions are back in action as NBC’s Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med have begun filming their new seasons.
The three dramas remain the cornerstone of television production in Illinois, employing hundreds of local crew members while filming throughout Chicago. Produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, the franchise continues to showcase the city as they return for another season of action, drama and medical emergencies.
Enemies
After completing principal photography earlier this year, A24’s crime thriller Enemies returns to Chicago for an additional week of filming.
Written and directed by Henry Dunham, Enemies stars Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White and Anna Sawai. It follows a relentless detective and an infamous contract killer locked in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. The film is produced by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen of Square Peg alongside A24, with Alejandro De Leon producing and Josh Bachove serving as executive producer.
The Last Kids on Earth
Disney Branded Television has selected Chicago for production of the live action pilot The Last Kids on Earth, based on Max Brallier’s bestselling children’s book series.
The story follows teenager Jack Sullivan and his friends as they navigate a monster-filled, post-apocalyptic world after zombies and other creatures overrun Earth. The pilot is written by James Stoteraux and Chad Fiveash and directed by Kevin Tancharoen. Brallier serves as an executive producer alongside Hilary Zwick Turner, Jennifer McCarron and Matt Hornburg.
Little Five
One of the summer’s notable independent productions is Little Five, inspired by the true story of four unlikely young women at Indiana University in the early 1980s who come together to compete in the legendary Little 500 bicycle race.
Produced by Pigasus Pictures and Anne Hathaway’s Somewhere Pictures, the film follows the young women as they challenge expectations, forge lasting friendships and discover that changing history begins with teamwork. Production began in Indiana and moves into Illinois through late summer. Cary Holt de Lama serves as line producer.
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Herbert West: ReAnimator
Illinois provides more than just a backdrop for Herbert West: ReAnimator. The contemporary reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s classic horror story is entirely set in Alton, Illinois, making the Mississippi River community an integral part of the story.
The film stars Joseph Morgan and Katie Cassidy. Produced by Woodlake Entertainment, the feature follows the brilliant but dangerously obsessed physician whose experiments to conquer death unleash horrifying consequences.
Gable
Production is underway on Gable, a feature based on the life of Olympic wrestling legend Dan Gable.
The biographical drama chronicles the remarkable career of one of the sport’s most celebrated athletes and coaches. The production is expected to utilize Flyover Film Studios as part of its Illinois shoot, with additional casting and production details expected as filming continues.
Looking Ahead
While cameras continue rolling across Illinois this summer, another production is waiting in the wings. The pilot for American Blue recently completed filming in Joliet and is awaiting a series order. If greenlit, the drama would return to Illinois for series production, adding another high-profile television project to the state’s production slate.
Check in with Reel Chicago for updates. This list changes quickly.
