Where was Netflix's Bionic shot? All filming locations explored

Bionic is an upcoming science fiction film on Netflix. The Brazilian science fiction thriller is slated to premiere on the streaming platform on May 29, 2024. Written by Josefina Trotta and directed by Afonso Poyart, the film depicts a dystopian Brazil where sports have been redefined with the use of robotic prosthetics.

Titled Biônicos in Portuguese, the film features a talented cast, including Jéssica Córes, Bruno Gagliasso, and Gabz, among others. The film follows two sisters in Brazil who go down a dark path to achieve their goals. The film questions the ethics of robotics and imagines a dystopian future where technology may affect the rationality of humans.

The film has been shot in Brazil and showcases CGI animated sequences meant to portray the year 2035. This article explores the locations across which the film has been shot.

---

Netflix's Bionic - Filming locations explored

Bionic, set to release on Netflix on May 29, 2024, is primarily shot in the city of São Paulo in Brazil. The bustling city provided ample locations to serve as a backdrop for the futuristic image of Brazil portrayed in the upcoming film.

The story takes a cue from the iconic Ridley Scott film Bladerunner and uses São Paulo to create a futuristic cityscape, edgy nightclubs, and futuristic highways. The filming for Bionic commenced in 2022 and was completed by the end of the year, with the crew filming across various locations throughout the city. The futuristic imagery seen in the trailer was created in post-production.

São Paulo is often termed the Selva de Pedra (concrete jungle), denoting the bustling pace and congestion in the city. As per numpostal.com, São Paulo is termed Selva de Pedra, owing to the tall buildings and vibrant metropolitan social life that set the place apart from other Brazilian cities.

A lot of the filing was also completed across studios in the city since it features many CGI-generated scenes. Here are some major locations in São Paulo where Bionic was filmed.

Obelisk of São Paulo

The Obelisk of São Paulo, also called the Obelisk of Ibirapuera, is one of the landmark monuments in the city. A glimpse of the famous building was caught in the trailer. It is the largest monument in the city and is reminiscent of the Constitutionalist revolution in the country in 1932. The monument is located in the scenic Ibirapuera Park, which is a great place to get away from the bustle of the city and enjoy some peace amidst nature.

---

Altino Arantes Building

The Altino Arantes building is an art-deco skyscraper located in the center of the city. The building serves as a backdrop to visualize the dystopian future, where it shows neon-based holographic images projected atop the buildings. The building is a reminder that the city has developed at a rapid pace around the important cultural landmarks that serve as a foundation for the cityscape.

---

São Paulo Cathedral

A futuristic version of the iconic São Paulo Cathedral is portrayed in the film. Again, the film has retained the basic structures of the iconic city landmarks and structured futuristic additions such as holographic billboards around them.

---

Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge

Filming in the city would remain incomplete without featuring the iconic Oliveira Bridge. The cable-stayed bridge was constructed in 2008 and arches over the Pinheiros River. The bridge can be seen in Bionic's trailer.

---

What is Netflix's Bionic about?

The film's narrative is based around two sisters who compete for the top spot in long jumping. However, Paralympic athletes reign supreme in the dystopian future, where prosthetic attachments have trumped the range of motion of regular athletes.

The official synopsis of the film reads:

"In a dystopian future where robotic prosthetics redefine sports, two sisters compete in long jump — but their rivalry leads them down a sinister path."

The film tries to put forward a commentary on the dangers of technology, draw a parallel between how Paralympic sports are viewed now by reversing the narratives, and also weave an intricate tale of dark ambition and jealousy.

---

Bionic premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.