Downtown Toronto avenue at dusk with glass towers, glowing billboards, and a rain-slicked intersection

Where Was Suicide Squad Filmed?

Toronto stood in for Midway City, with sound stage work at Pinewood and extra shooting in Los Angeles and Chicago.

The Short Answer

Suicide Squad was mainly filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios in Toronto, Ontario, on sound stages, with extensive street shooting across downtown Toronto doubling for the fictional Midway City. Additional filming took place in Los Angeles for interior scenes and in Chicago for aerial shots of the skyline.

David Ayer's Suicide Squad, released in 2016, assembled its cast of villains primarily in Canada. Principal photography began in Toronto on April 13, 2015 and ran about four months, during which six blocks of Yonge Street were shut down over multiple nights for car chases.

The production split its work between purpose-built sets and real city streets. A 250-foot-long city street set was constructed on the mega stage at Pinewood Toronto Studios, while locations such as Union Station, Yonge-Dundas Square and Bay Street appear on screen as parts of Midway City.

Every Location At A Glance

LocationWhereWhat was filmedAccess
Yonge Street (various sections)Toronto, CanadaJoker and Harley car chase, plane crash scene between Wellesley and College St, downed plane at Yonge-Dundas SquareFree to see
Toronto Union StationToronto, CanadaMidway City Train Terminal exteriorFree to see
Cicada Restaurant and Club (Oviatt Building)Los Angeles, United StatesAmanda Waller government briefing sceneTicketed
151 Front Street WestToronto, CanadaDeadshot assassination and rappel sceneOutside only
Lower Bay Station (TTC)Toronto, CanadaMidway City subway / Central Station scenesClosed
Yonge-Dundas SquareToronto, CanadaSquad arrival and downed helicopter/plane sceneFree to see
Lumsden Building / Adelaide StreetToronto, CanadaDeadshot Christmas shopping with daughter, snowy sceneFree to see
Bay Street (between Wellington and Front)Toronto, CanadaHelicopter crash sceneFree to see
Sheppard West Station (formerly Downsview)Toronto, CanadaMidway City subway establishing shotFree to see
Chicago skyline / aerial viewsChicago, United StatesAerial flyover shots of Midway CityOutside only
Holt Renfrew Men store (Bloor Street)Toronto, CanadaHarley Quinn purse theft sceneFree to see
Ki Modern Japanese + BarToronto, CanadaGolden Tree bar exteriorTicketed

Filming Locations Map

12 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Yonge Street (various sections), Toronto
Location 01

Yonge Street (various sections)

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Joker and Harley car chase, plane crash scene between Wellesley and College St, downed plane at Yonge-Dundas Square

Six blocks of Yonge Street were closed over multiple nights for the Joker and Harley car chase, with the plane crash scene shot between Wellesley and College and the downed plane placed at Yonge-Dundas Square. Today it remains a busy public street, though some sections have been redeveloped since filming. Visitors can simply walk the length of it, tracing the chase route from the square southward.

Toronto Union Station, Toronto
Location 02

Toronto Union Station

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Midway City Train Terminal exterior

The station's exterior served as the Midway City Train Terminal. It is an active train station with public access to the concourse, so visitors can walk in freely and recognize the facade without paying anything. It sits steps from the CN Tower and the SkyWalk, making it an easy add-on to any downtown wander. Several film tours of the city include it as a stop.

Cicada Restaurant and Club (Oviatt Building), Los Angeles
Location 03

Cicada Restaurant and Club (Oviatt Building)

California, Los Angeles, United States Ticketed

Filmed here: Amanda Waller government briefing scene

This Los Angeles restaurant inside the historic Oviatt Building hosted the Amanda Waller government briefing scene. It remains an operating restaurant, and access is ticketed in the sense that diners need reservations, which are recommended. The Art Deco interior is the draw, and fans of classic Hollywood architecture will find the building itself as interesting as its cameo in the film.

151 Front Street West, Toronto
Location 04

151 Front Street West

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Outside only

Filmed here: Deadshot assassination and rappel scene

The exterior of this communications and data centre building stood in for the site of Deadshot's assassination and rappel scene. It is a public building exterior, viewable at any time from the sidewalk, with the SkyWalk nearby connecting toward Union Station and the CN Tower. There is no interior access relevant to the film, but the facade is easy to pair with other downtown stops.

Lower Bay Station (TTC), Toronto
Location 05

Lower Bay Station (TTC)

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Closed

Filmed here: Midway City subway / Central Station scenes

This abandoned subway platform played the Midway City subway and Central Station scenes, and it has since appeared in other productions including The Boys. It is closed to the public and used for filming only, so visitors cannot enter. The closest consolation is viewing an active TTC station such as Sheppard West, which supplied the film's subway establishing shot.

Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto
Location 06

Yonge-Dundas Square

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Squad arrival and downed helicopter/plane scene

The square staged the squad's arrival and the downed helicopter and plane scene, one of the film's most visible Toronto landmarks. It is a public square and a major tourist spot, surrounded by billboards and shopping, open at all hours. Visitors standing at the square can match the wide shots of destruction almost exactly, since the surrounding buildings have changed little.

Lumsden Building / Adelaide Street, Toronto
Location 07

Lumsden Building / Adelaide Street

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Deadshot Christmas shopping with daughter, snowy scene

Adelaide Street outside the Lumsden Building was dressed with artificial snow for Deadshot's Christmas shopping scene with his daughter. It is a public street and building exterior, freely viewable, and sits within the Financial District near other Suicide Squad spots on Bay Street. Fans of the film's quieter character moments will find this one of the easiest locations to photograph.

Bay Street (between Wellington and Front), Toronto
Location 08

Bay Street (between Wellington and Front)

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Helicopter crash scene

This stretch of Bay Street in the financial district hosted the helicopter crash scene. As a public street, it costs nothing to visit and takes minutes to walk between Wellington and Front while matching the surrounding towers to the screen. It pairs naturally with Union Station and 151 Front Street West, both within a few minutes on foot, forming a compact cluster of film locations.

Sheppard West Station (formerly Downsview), Toronto
Location 09

Sheppard West Station (formerly Downsview)

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Midway City subway establishing shot

This active subway station provided the Midway City subway establishing shot. Access is public with a standard TTC fare, and regular train service makes it straightforward to reach from downtown. There is little else of film interest at the station itself, so most visitors treat it as an optional deep cut for completists rather than a destination in its own right.

Chicago skyline / aerial views, Chicago
Location 10

Chicago skyline / aerial views

Illinois, Chicago, United States Outside only

Filmed here: Aerial flyover shots of Midway City

Chicago supplied the aerial flyover shots that established Midway City on screen, which is fitting since the fictional city resembles Chicago in the story. The views are public and best taken from the lakefront, river cruises or observation decks. No specific filming site exists here, just the skyline itself, so any good vantage point reproduces what the cameras captured.

Holt Renfrew Men store (Bloor Street), Toronto
Location 11

Holt Renfrew Men store (Bloor Street)

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Free to see

Filmed here: Harley Quinn purse theft scene

The exterior of this Bloor Street retail store appeared in Harley Quinn's purse theft scene. It is a public store exterior in Toronto's main luxury shopping district, viewable from the sidewalk at any time. Yorkville's boutiques and museums sit within walking distance, so it slots easily into a broader Bloor Street itinerary rather than warranting a dedicated trip.

Ki Modern Japanese + Bar, Toronto
Location 12

Ki Modern Japanese + Bar

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Ticketed

Filmed here: Golden Tree bar exterior

This operating restaurant and bar on Adelaide provided the Golden Tree bar exterior seen in the film. Access is ticketed in the sense that it is a functioning venue, so visitors wanting more than the exterior would need to eat or drink there. The exterior is visible from the street, and its central location places it near the Bay Street and Union Station locations.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set in the fictional Midway City, which the film presents as resembling Chicago, and Chicago does supply the aerial establishing shots. The actual filming, however, happened primarily in Toronto, Canada, with additional interior work in Los Angeles at the Oviatt Building and aerial photography in Chicago. Viewers who look closely will notice Toronto landmarks standing in for the fictional American metropolis.

The Studio Side

Two studios were involved. Pinewood Toronto Studios hosted the bulk of production, including a 250-foot-long city street set built on its mega stage, though it is not visitable by the public. Paramount Studios in Los Angeles handled additional interior scenes and is likewise closed to casual visitors. Fans wanting a studio-adjacent experience in Toronto are better served by guided film location walks through the downtown streets that appear on screen.

Tours That Visit These Locations

No dedicated Suicide Squad tour exists, but several Toronto film and television tours pass locations used in the movie, including Union Station, Bay Street and Yonge-Dundas Square (now often called Sankofa Square). These are general Hollywood North tours rather than squad-specific outings.

Budget Hollywood North Walk

Toronto: Hollywood North Experience Film & TV Tour

A lower-priced option covering downtown landmarks including David Pecaut Square, Union Station and Nathan Phillips Square, hitting several areas that appear in Midway City sequences.

63 reviews

Downtown Film Locations Walk

Hollywood North Experience Tour In Toronto

A walking exploration of downtown Toronto's screen credits that includes David Pecaut Square and Union Station, the latter serving as the Midway City Train Terminal in the film.

36 reviews

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Half-Day Action Locations Tour

Action Film and Television Locations Half Day Tour in Toronto

A half-day tour aimed at action film fans, visiting Bay Street and Adelaide Street West, Toronto Union and Sankofa Square, the site of the squad's arrival and downed plane scene.

1 reviews

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

University Film Tour, 161 Dollars

Toronto: TV & Movie Tour with University of Toronto Visit

This tour pairs downtown filming spots such as Bay Street and Adelaide Street West, where the helicopter crash and Deadshot snow scenes were shot, with a visit to the University of Toronto campus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Suicide Squad filmed in Chicago?

Only partially. Chicago supplied aerial flyover shots of its skyline to establish Midway City, but the bulk of filming took place in Toronto, with additional interior work in Los Angeles.

Can you visit Pinewood Toronto Studios?

No. Pinewood Toronto Studios is a working production facility and is not visitable by the public. The studio work included a 250-foot-long city street set built on the mega stage.

What is Midway City in real life?

Midway City is fictional and resembles Chicago in the story. On screen it was created mostly from Toronto locations, including Union Station, Yonge-Dundas Square and Lower Bay Station.

Where was the Joker and Harley car chase filmed?

On Yonge Street in Toronto. Six blocks of the street were shut down over multiple nights of filming, and the plane crash scene was shot between Wellesley and College streets.

Can you go inside Lower Bay Station?

No. Lower Bay is an abandoned TTC platform used for filming only, and it has appeared in other productions such as The Boys. Sheppard West Station, which supplied the subway establishing shot, remains open to the public.

Are there Suicide Squad tours in Toronto?

There is no dedicated tour, but general Toronto film and television tours stop at locations from the movie, including Union Station, Bay Street and Yonge-Dundas Square.

Toronto remains the place to trace Suicide Squad on the ground, with Union Station, Yonge-Dundas Square and the Bay Street crash site all free to visit on foot. Los Angeles adds the Oviatt Building's Cicada restaurant for those who book a table, while Chicago rewards viewers with the skyline that stood in for Midway City from the air. A general film tour of downtown Toronto covers several of these spots in a single outing.

Sources