Though “The Boys” is known for its over-the-prime violence and supe-associated sexual mayhem, what it ought to be most well-known for is its absurdly non-New York depiction of New York City. The present’s first 4 seasons had been filmed in Toronto, and the ultimate season might be filmed there too; this is not a brand new apply for American TV, however not often has a present put so little effort into disguising what it is doing. Even “Scream VI,” a film whose setting was simply identifiable as Montreal to any Canadian viewers, put extra effort into the New York aesthetic than “The Boys” has.
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Maybe the best instance of “The Boys” shamelessly exhibiting off Toronto is with the Vought Tower. Within the present, the tower is an imposing skyscraper, with a prime ground that the Supes within the Seven can use to gaze down on the metropolis. Many of the constructing is faux, however the base of it’s Roy Thompson Corridor, which is used for orchestra concert events, lectures, film screenings for the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition, and extra. When Homelander is not utilizing the constructing to torment his co-staff, some sophisticated musician will be using it to perform for a fancy audience. Have you learnt how generally we’ll hear violin music when Homelander has a psychological breakdown? Properly, perhaps that is simply an RTH live performance taking part in downstairs.
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The Vought Tower has the true Roy Thompson Corridor as its base, after which the present digitally plopped an enormous tower on prime. It is like RTH is sporting an enormous prime hat. The Vought Tower is featured within the image above, and you’ll see what the real RTH looks like here.
Not solely did the present use RTH’s exterior for establishing photographs, however they filmed a lot of their scenes contained in the Vought Tower within the RTH as nicely. It is contained in the constructing that RTH turns into most acquainted; Marvel followers would possibly acknowledge it as the identical location the place Professor X confronted Magneto within the first dwell-motion “X-Males” film in 2000. Followers of “The Expanse” would possibly acknowledge it because the futuristic location of the U.N. within the 2350s.
Toronto is the key coronary heart and soul of ‘The Boys,’ and loads of reveals and movies
RTH has an imposing, futuristic aesthetic to it that is irresistible to quite a lot of filmmakers. Relating to “The Boys” wanting to ascertain the sheer energy of Vought Worldwide, few different buildings might’ve finished the trick.
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The remainder of “The Boys” will make use of Toronto landmarks like David Pecaut Square or Yonge Street, and even the timber within the background of some photographs will give the present away as probably not being filmed in New York. Nonetheless, the present does make some makes an attempt to disguise itself. In these season 1 scenes inside what’s alleged to be the New York subway, the manufacturing group took the time to place some NYC-particular signage on the Toronto’s Decrease Bay Station. Eagle-eyed New York commuters might in all probability inform this wasn’t their subway, the Boys had been strolling in, nevertheless it appeared shut sufficient to not break the immersion.
And naturally, you’ll be able to’t actually blame the present for not filming at an precise New York subway station, as that’d be fairly costly. The Decrease Bay station was the extra affordable alternative, because it’s been out of use since the ’60s and is now principally used for coaching new Toronto prepare operators. The station could now not be deemed match for passenger use, nevertheless it’s been stored in simply ok situation to make for the right filming location for any film/present involving a subway. You could not have thought you had been aware of Decrease Bay Station, however when you’ve seen films like Guillermo Del Toro’s “Mimic” or Gary Fleder’s “Do not Say a Phrase,” you undoubtedly are.
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Ultimately, Toronto’s a fairly nice location to base a present’s manufacturing round. Sure, the dangerous climate can typically complicate issues (as was the case with filming Will Ferrell’s season 4 cameo), however while you take the tax incentives and the sheer variety of cool, New York-esque places, town’s a no-brainer. Toronto’s been the not-so-secret residence of “The Boys” for 4 seasons now, and it is served its position nicely.
