Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Oscar winner was shot entirely in Manhattan and Queens over 30 days.
Birdman was filmed mainly at the real St. James Theatre in Manhattan's Theater District, with backstage sets built at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens. The entire production shot on location in New York City over 30 days in spring 2013. Public spots include Times Square, Broadway, and the Rum House at Hotel Edison.
Birdman, released in 2014, tells the story of a washed-up superhero actor staging a Broadway play, and the production made an unusual choice: rather than rebuild a theater on a soundstage, it shot in and around a working Broadway house. Principal photography ran April-May 2013 at the St. James Theatre, with the whole film completed in just 30 days.
The movie was edited to appear as one continuous shot, with only 16 visible cuts, which made real locations essential. Most of them sit within a few blocks of Times Square, so a visitor can walk nearly the entire route in an afternoon.
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. James Theatre | New York City | Stage, lobby, auditorium, and exterior scenes including the play performances | Ticketed |
| Rum House at Hotel Edison | New York City | Bar scenes with Riggan and the theater critic | Free to see |
| Times Square | New York City | Riggan running through the square in underwear | Free to see |
| Kaufman Astoria Studios | New York City | Backstage corridors, dressing rooms, and hallways | Private property |
| 324 West 43rd Street | New York City | Riggan drinks and sleeps on the steps | Free to see |
| West 43rd Street (near Holy Cross School) | New York City | Fantasy action sequence with shoot-outs and explosion | Free to see |
| St. James Theatre Rooftop | New York City | Rooftop debate scene with Mike and Sam | Private property |
| Broadway (Times Square area) | New York City | Running and crowd scenes | Free to see |
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Manhattan, New York City Ticketed
Filmed here: Stage, lobby, auditorium, and exterior scenes including the play performances
The stage, lobby, auditorium, and exterior scenes, including the play performances, were shot here during the 30-day shoot. It remains a working Broadway theater, so the best way to see the interior is to buy tickets for whatever show is currently running. The exterior can be viewed anytime, and it looks much as it did on screen.
Manhattan, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Bar scenes with Riggan and the theater critic
The bar scenes between Riggan and the theater critic were filmed in this piano bar, part of the Hotel Edison near Times Square. It is an active bar and restaurant open to the public, so visitors can order a drink at the same counter where the film's most combative conversation took place. No ticket or reservation is required.
Manhattan, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Riggan running through the square in underwear
The famous scene of Riggan running through the square in his underwear was shot here, filmed after midnight to control crowds. Visiting is simple: Times Square is always public and always crowded, at all hours. Daytime visitors get the billboards at full blast, though the after-midnight emptiness that made the scene so eerie is long gone by evening.
Queens, New York City Private property
Filmed here: Backstage corridors, dressing rooms, and hallways
The backstage corridors, dressing rooms, and hallways seen throughout the film were built on stages at this Queens studio, since the real St. James could not be tied up for every scene. It is a private studio lot and not open to public tours for this production, so there is nothing for fans to see beyond the exterior in Astoria.
Manhattan, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Riggan drinks and sleeps on the steps
Riggan drinks and sleeps on the steps at this address, a quiet stretch just off the Theater District bustle. It is a public street and the steps are exterior only, so anyone can walk by and recognize them. Fans often pair this stop with the nearby St. James Theatre since the two locations are a block apart and connect narratively in the film.
Manhattan, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Fantasy action sequence with shoot-outs and explosion
The fantasy action sequence with shoot-outs and an explosion was staged on this block. It is an ordinary public street today, with no markers or signage referencing the film, and the block is sometimes closed for events. It works as a quick detour for completists already walking the 43rd Street locations rather than a destination on its own.
Manhattan, New York City Private property
Filmed here: Rooftop debate scene with Mike and Sam
The rooftop debate between Mike and Sam takes place atop the theater, with the city skyline behind them. The roof itself is private and not accessible to the public. The practical alternative is to view the building from street level and pick out the upper stories, or to book a show and experience the theater the way the production did.
Manhattan, New York City Free to see
Filmed here: Running and crowd scenes
The running and crowd scenes were filmed along Broadway in the Times Square area, one of the busiest pedestrian zones in the world. It is always accessible and requires no planning beyond sensible foot traffic awareness. Walking this stretch gives a real sense of the film's continuous-shot energy, as Riggan's frantic movement mirrors the district's constant motion.
The story is set in present-day New York City's Broadway theater district, and the film was shot entirely on location in New York City, in both Manhattan and Queens. There is no gap between setting and filming location here, which is rare for a studio film and central to why the movie feels so grounded.
Kaufman Astoria Studios in Astoria, Queens, hosted the built backstage sets, including corridors, dressing rooms, and hallways, while stage scenes used the real St. James Theatre. The historic studio lot is not open to the public for tours connected to this production, so fans should focus on the Manhattan locations.
No dedicated Birdman tour exists, but a general film and TV locations bus tour of New York City includes a stop at the Rum House at Hotel Edison, one of the film's key sites, alongside locations from Friends, Seinfeld, and other productions.
NYC TV & Movie Locations Bus Tour: Friends, Seinfeld & More
This well-reviewed bus tour, rated 4.5 from 1,293 reviews, covers TV and movie locations across the city and stops at the Rum House at Hotel Edison, where Birdman's bar scene was filmed.
NYC TV & Movie Locations Bus Tour: Friends, Seinfeld & More
A $70 per person bus tour visiting famous TV and movie locations, with a stop at the Rum House and other Birdman locations, plus sites tied to Friends, Seinfeld, and more.
Yes. It is a working Broadway theater, so buying a ticket to whatever show is currently running gets you into the lobby and auditorium where Birdman was filmed. The exterior can be viewed anytime.
No. The film was edited to appear as one continuous shot but contains 16 visible cuts. The entire production was shot in only 30 days.
The bar scenes between Riggan and the theater critic were filmed at the Rum House at Hotel Edison in Manhattan. It is open to the public as an active bar and restaurant.
Yes. Times Square is public and always accessible. The underwear running scene was filmed after midnight specifically to control crowds.
Not for this production. The studio lot is private and offers no public tours connected to Birdman, though the Manhattan locations are all easily visited.
Principal photography took place in April-May 2013, mostly at the St. James Theatre, and the film was released in 2014.
Birdman is one of the easiest major films to location-hunt because nearly everything sits within walking distance of Times Square. Start at the St. James Theatre, walk a block to West 43rd Street, grab a drink at the Rum House, and finish in the square itself. A film locations bus tour adds the Rum House stop if you would rather ride than walk.
Before You Go
The tours travellers book most for Birdman.
