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The Shazam! Guide to Toronto

Becca

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!

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