Hollywood Movies You Didn’t Know Were Shot in Cape Town
Few places can wear so many disguises on screen like Cape Town. Its landscapes, diverse architecture and accessible production scene have made it irresistible for international filmmakers.
When Hollywood scouts pack their cameras and crew, Cape Town often lands on the call sheet. Its blend of natural beauty and affordable filming costs makes it a dream set. On screen, the city takes on many roles: sometimes it’s Cape Town in full colour, other times it’s cleverly disguised as somewhere else. Productions have spilled onto mountain trails, coastal roads, and city streets, while others were staged at Cape Town Film Studios. These films all share one thing—you’ll find a bit of the Cape stitched into their frames. Here’s a list of movies shot in the Mother City—watch closely and you may spot a familiar skyline or street corner.
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Hollywood Movies Shot in and Around Cape Town
1. G20 (2025) – Political Action
Plot & Cast: Viola Davis stars as President Danielle Sutton, whose family is caught amid terrorists during a G20 summit in South Africa.
Filming Location: Though set in Cape Town, most of the “Grand Diamont” hotel (positioned atop Signal Hill in the film) was digital—a composite of CGI, constructed sets, and VFX. Interiors were filmed on sound stages, with no real hotel atop Signal Hill.
2. Novocaine (2025) – Dark Comedy Thriller
Plot & Cast: Jack Quaid plays a man born with a rare condition that prevents him from feeling pain. When the woman he loves is kidnapped, he turns this disability into his greatest weapon.
Filming Locations: Several key city street scenes were filmed in Cape Town’s CBD, with Long Street doubling as a gritty American downtown backdrop.
3. Safe House (2012) – Action Thriller
Plot & Cast: Denzel Washington plays a rogue CIA agent; Ryan Reynolds is tasked to guard him in a Cape Town safe house that is soon compromised.
Filming Locations: Shot extensively in Cape Town—including Western Boulevard, Adderley Street, Lagoon Beach, Cape Town Stadium, the CBD, Cape Town Station, and Langa Township.
4. Dredd (2012) – Sci-Fi Action
Plot & Cast: In a dystopian future, Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) becomes judge, jury, and executioner in Mega-City One.
Filming Locations: Filmed at Cape Town Film Studios (first 3D project there) and in Johannesburg. Sets included high-rise towers and a massive atrium created from a Cape Town location made to look interior via effects.
5. Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) – Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Plot & Cast: Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and friends must infiltrate the Last City to save their friends—completing a dystopian trilogy.
Filming Locations: The film was shot in and around Cape Town and at the Cape Town Film Studios.
6. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Action / Adventure
Plot & Cast: Max (Tom Hardy) joins Furiosa (Charlize Theron) in a vehicle-bound quest in a desert wasteland.
Filming Locations: The majority of desert scenes were shot in Namibia; vital scenes were shot at Cape Town Film Studios.
7. The Dark Tower (2017) – Fantasy / Western
Plot & Cast: Idris Elba plays the Gunslinger on a quest to protect the Dark Tower; Matthew McConaughey portrays the Man in Black.
Filming Locations: Partially shot in Cape Town—especially around the St George’s precinct and nearby landscapes.
8. Tomb Raider (2018) – Action / Adventure
Plot & Cast: Alicia Vikander embodies Lara Croft’s archaeological adventure.
Filming Locations: Filmed mainly in Cape Town—including Table Mountain, Hout Bay (doubling as Hong Kong), Epping, other parts of the Western Cape, and at the Cape Town Film Studios.
9. Bloodshot (2020) – Superhero / Sci-Fi
Plot & Cast: Vin Diesel plays a near-indestructible supersoldier powered by nanotechnology.
Filming Location: Shot at Cape Town Film Studios, with Cape Town’s settings doubling for futuristic backdrops.
10. Monster Hunter (2020) – Fantasy / Action
Plot & Cast: Milla Jovovich leads a military team pulled into a dangerous world of deadly monsters.
Filming Locations: Filming took place at the Cape Town Studios, on Cape Town’s dunes in Atlantis, and along sandy stretches outside the city to create vast otherworldly landscapes.
11. Chronicle (2012) – Sci-Fi / Fantasy (Found-Footage)
Plot & Cast: Teens gain superpowers and record the effects—leading to moral collapse.
Filming Locations: Primary filming took place in Cape Town, largely at the Film Studios.
12. Hitman (2007) – Action / Thriller
Plot & Cast: Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) is a genetically-engineered assassin caught in conspiracies.
Filming Location: Shot in Cape Town.
13. Doomsday (2008) – Sci-Fi / Action
Plot & Cast: Rhona Mitra plays a soldier sent into a walled-off quarantine zone years after a deadly virus outbreak.
Filming Locations: Cape Town locations stood in for a dystopian Scotland, with derelict factories and coastal roads doubling as wasteland terrain.
14. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) – Horror / Sci-Fi
Plot & Cast: Alice returns to The Hive as humanity’s final hope amidst a zombie apocalypse.
Filming Locations: Filmed for two months in Cape Town and Hartbeespoort Dam; Table Mountain appears throughout as part of Raccoon City’s backdrop.
15. Brothers Grimsby (2016) – Action / Comedy
Plot & Cast: MI6 agent Nobby (Mark Strong) reunites with his slow-witted brother (Sacha Baron Cohen) to thwart global enemies.
Filming Locations: Filmed across Cape Town, including Cape Town Stadium (doubling for the World Cup in Chile).
15. The Kissing Booth (2018) – Teen / Romance
Plot & Cast: Joey King and Jacob Elordi star in this coming-of-age love story about friendship, romance, and complicated high school rules.
Filming Locations: The teen rom-com was filmed around Cape Town, with Wynberg Boys’ High doubling as the main school and Camps Bay homes featured as mansions.
16. Eye in the Sky (2015) – War Drama Thriller
Plot & Cast: Helen Mirren and Aaron Paul star in this gripping story about drone warfare and its moral consequences.
Filming Locations: Cape Town’s townships, particularly Khayelitsha, doubled for Nairobi, while military control room sets were built at Cape Town Film Studios.
17. Honey 3: Dare to Dance (2016) – Dance Drama
Plot & Cast: Cassie Ventura stars as a young dancer pursuing her dreams despite social challenges.
Filming Locations: Filming took place at the University of Cape Town, the city centre, and Mowbray, giving the movie a strong local flavour.
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