Where was Wolf Man movie filmed? All filming locations explored

Wolf Man, released on January 17, 2025, is a fresh take on Universal's classic werewolf story. Directed by Leigh Whannell, the movie features Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, and Sam Jaeger in a horror drama.

Christopher Abbott plays Blake, a man who is still dealing with the trauma of his childhood. Blake moves to a remote cabin in Oregon with his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) to start over after his father Grady mysteriously goes missing. During a strange encounter in the woods, however, Blake is scratched by a creature, which turns him into the Wolf Man.

As Blake fights against the changes in his body and his growing primal urges, he learns that the creature that did this is his father, who died years ago from the same curse. Blake gives up his life to protect his family in the heartbreaking ending of the story.

Wolf Man was filmed in New Zealand and acted as a stand-in for the Pacific Northwest. The North and South Islands were both used to film major scenes. The Lovell farmstead scenes were built near Mangaroa, while the haunting forest sequences used the beech forests of the South Island. These locations seamlessly transported viewers into the eerie world of Wolf Man.

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Exploring filming locations of Wolf Man

Mangaroa – The Lovell Farmstead

Wolf Man takes place mostly on the Lovell family farm. This set was built from scratch in Mangaroa, located on New Zealand's North Island and about 30 miles from Wellington.

The surrounding pine forests, which are known for their lush landscapes, made the perfect setting for the isolated farm, where most of the suspense takes place. The barn and farmhouse were built to look like traditional American farmhouses, which made the story seem more real.

The difficulty of recreating American vernacular architecture was talked about by production designer Ruby Mathers. The team added small details, like worn-in textures and height marks from Blake's childhood on the walls, that made the set feel like a real place with a lot of history.

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South Island – Beech Forests

The crew chose New Zealand's South Island to get the dark, moody woods that are so important to the werewolf mythos. The native beech forests were both beautiful and scary places for the scenes where Blake faces his change.

With Stefan Duscio's moody cinematography and the fog that often covered them, these forests became characters in their own right.

As stated by Time Out on January 17, 2025, Mathers mentions,

‘In the South Island, we did a lot of shooting in native beech forests. Luckily, beech is ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest as well.’

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Wellington – Lane Street Studios

Indoor scenes in Wolf Man, particularly significant moments within the Lovell farmhouse, were recorded at Lane Street Studios in Wellington.

The regulated setting enabled the crew to concentrate on complex details while documenting the emotionally intense family interactions. These scenes enhanced the narrative, complementing the outdoor sequences filmed in Mangaroa and the South Island.

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Upper Hutt – Base Camp

The production team of Wolf Man set up their base camp in Upper Hutt, close to Mangaroa. This small city served as a logistical hub for managing the challenging outdoor shoots. The proximity to key locations enabled smooth coordination for the demanding filming schedule.

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New Zealand

New Zealand was picked because it looks a lot like the Pacific Northwest, especially the rough terrain in Oregon. The crew was able to accurately portray both the remote wilderness and the isolated farmhouse thanks to the country's wide range of landscapes.

The huge pine forests and tall trees made the characters feel alone and in danger, which was essential to building the story's tension.

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Wolf Man is currently running in theatres now.