List of foreign films shot in the Philippines explained

Numerous foreign films have been shot in the Philippines either partly or entirely, with the locations either representing itself or standing in for another location. This article presents a partial list of films which have used shooting locations in the Philippines sorted by year. The list exclude co-produced films with involvement of Philippine production companies.

List

Films primarily shot in the Philippines

Year Title Director/s ActorsFilming location/s in the PhilippinesFilm setting (if not in the Philippines)Country of origin of production companiesNote
1958Cavalry CommandEddie RomeroJohn AgarVigan, Ilocos SurUnited States, Philippines
1979 Apocalypse NowFrancis Ford CoppolaMartin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Frederic ForrestBaler Bay (Baler, Aurora), Baler (Aurora), Pagsanjan (Laguna), Iba (Zambales), Pagsanjan River (Pagsanjan, Laguna), Laguna, Metro ManilaSouth VietnamUnited States[1]
1984Missing in ActionJoseph ZitoChuck NorrisQuezon, Laguna, CaviteVietnamUnited States
1986PlatoonOliver StoneTom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Keith David, Kevin Dillon, John C. McGinley, Forest Whitaker, Johnny DeppMount Makiling, Laguna, Cavite, Villamor Air Base near ManilaVietnamUnited States, United Kingdom[2] [3]
1990Aaron NorrisChuck Norris, John P. Ryan, Billy Drago, Richard JaeckelClark Air Force Base, Metro Manila, Tagaytay (Cavite)South AmericaUnited StatesAlthough the film is set principally in South America, most of the scenes set in the fictional South American country of San Carlos and rural Colombia were shot in Tagaytay, Philippines. This explains the visibility of the Taal Volcano in some scenes.[4]
1999Brokedown PalaceJonathan KaplanClaire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman, Lim Kay TongCoconut Palace (Pasay City, Metro Manila), Sanctuary Fabella (Manila, Metro Manila), Cotton Club (Pasay City, Metro Manila), Manila Hotel (Manila, Metro Manila), Manila Rendezvous (Manila, Metro Manila), Manila (Metro Manila)ThailandUnited StatesSince Thailand refused the shooting of the movie in their place due to its critical view on the Thai legal system, the production was filmed most in the Philippines where it depicts Thailand instead. Ultimately, Claire Danes was banned permanently in Manila by the city council after finishing filming for remarks made about the city in Vogue and Premier.
2008Romantic IslandKang Chul-wooLee Sun-kyunBoracay Islands (Malay, Aklan), Binondo, Manila (Metro Manila)South Korea[5]
2013Metro ManilaSean EllisJake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega, Erin PanlilioManila (Metro Manila)United KingdomAlthough Filipino language was a secondary and was shot primarily in Metro Manila, the film involved wasn't a co-production with a Philippine-based studio.[6]
2016MasterCho Ui-seokLee Byung-hun, Gang Dong-won and Kim Woo-binBinondo, Intramuros, Bulacan, CebuSouth Korea[7]
2016Showdown in ManilaMark DacascosAlexander Nevsky, Casper Van Dien, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Tia CarrereManila (Metro Manila)United States[8]
2018When the Storm FadesSean DevlinRyan Beil, Alicia Boco, Marissa Cabalja, Kayla LoretteLeyteCanada[9]
2020The Golden HolidayBong-han KimDo-won Kwak, Dae-Myung Kim, Hee-won Kim, Kim Sang-HoManilaSouth Korea[10]

Films partially shot in the Philippines

Year Title Director/s ActorsFilming location/s in the PhilippinesFilm setting (if not in the Philippines)Country of origin of production companiesNote
1982The Year of Living DangerouslyPeter WeirMel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt, Bembol RocoQuiapo (Manila), Banaue Rice TerracesJakarta, IndonesiaAustralia, United StatesOriginally set to be filmed in Jakarta, but permission to film in Indonesia was denied, so the film was shot in the Philippines as a stand-in for Jakarta and Indonesia. However, the film was banned temporarily in Indonesia until 2000.[11]
1989Born on the Fourth of JulyOliver StoneTom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry, Jerry Levine, Frank Whaley, Willem DafoeVietnamUnited StatesStone was unable to shot to Vietnam due to US-Vietnam relations were almost deteriorated. However, it went filming to the Philippines again like Platoon did, but was shot partially, where the location was unknown for the jungle scene as a setting.
1995 Closer to HomeJoseph NobileNinoy Aquino International Airport (Pasay City, Metro Manila), Talisay (Batangas), Alaminos (Laguna), Batangas City (Batangas), Candelaria (Quezon), Lucban (Quezon), Rosario, San Juan, Taal Lake (Batangas), Tagaytay Ridge (Tagaytay City, Cavite), BLTB Bus Terminal (Pasay City, Metro Manila), South Expressway (Metro Manila)United States[12]
1999Man on the MoonMilos FormanJim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Courtney Love, Paul GiamattiBaguio CityUnited Kingdom, Germany, Japan, United StatesAndy Kaufman, finds out his diagnosis with cancer, he travels to the Philippines and went to the hospital from Baguio to treat his health. The film was shot partially in Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
2000Thirteen DaysRoger DonaldsonKevin CostnerCubaUnited StatesThe air base scene was taken at Clark Air Base, Philippines, a former American facility, which substituted for NAS Key West, Florida, where the actual RF-8As of Light Photographic Squadron SIX TWO (VFP-62) launched from on their Cuban overflight missions.
2006Dong-hoon ChoiCho Seung-woo, Yun-shik Baek, Kim Hye-su, Hae-Jin YooSubic (Zambales)South Korea[13]
2009I Come with the RainAnh Hung TranJosh Hartnett, Nu Yên-Khê Tran, Lee Byung-hun, Takuya KimuraCompostela Valley (Mindanao), Davao City (Mindanao), Diwalwal (Monkayo, Compostela Valley, Mindanao)France, Hong Kong, Ireland, United Kingdom[14]
2009MammothLukas MoodyssonGael García Bernal, Michelle WilliamsMorong (Bataan), Sabang (Bataan), Subic (Zambales)Sweden, Denmark, Germany
2009Atsushi MurogaRyôko Kobayashi, Kazuki Katô, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Shinichiro IshikawaMetro Manila Skyway (Metro Manila), North Luzon Expressway (Bulacan), South Luzon Expressway (Laguna), Manila–Cavite Expressway (Cavite)JapanFor the expressway racing scene.
2012 The Bourne LegacyTony GilroyJeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott GlennEl Nido (Palawan), Manila (Metro Manila), Jones Bridge (Binondo, Manila, Metro Manila), Taft Avenue MRT station (Pasay City, Metro Manila), Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard (Manila, Metro Manila)United States[15] [16]
2013No BreathingJo Yong-sunSeo In-guk, Lee Jong-suk, Kwon YuriDavaoSouth KoreaThe film was shot partially in Davao City where the overseas field training scenes.
2014Rupan sansei (Lupin the 3rd)Ryûhei KitamuraShun Oguri, Jerry Yan, Tetsuji Tamayama, Gô AyanoMetro ManilaJapan
2015American UltraNima NourizadehJesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, Tony HaleManilaUnited States
2017A Prayer Before DawnJean-Stéphane SauvaireJoe Cole, Cherry Miko, Vithaya Pansringarm, Panya YimmumphaiCebu CityUnited Kingdom, United States, France
2017BluebeardLee Soo-yeonCho Jin-woong, Kim Dae-myungMetro ManilaSouth KoreaThe film was shot partially in Ninoy Aquino International Airport at the end of the film, where the Korean teenager met his mother (portrayed by Marie-Joelle Afarti), who was Filipina.
2017xXx: Return of Xander CageD. J. CarusoVin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Tony Jaa, Nina Dobrev, Toni Collette, Ariadna Gutiérrez, Hermione Corfield, Samuel L. JacksonCaramoan (province of Camarines Sur, Philippines)United States
2018Anthony Russo, Joe RussoRobert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris EvansBanaue Rice Terraces (Ifugao)Planet 0259-SUnited StatesEnd-credit scene where Thanos, the antagonist, retreats to an alien planet. The scene involved was subcontracted to Thailand-based Indochina Productions.[17] [18]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2015-05-23. 10 International Films Set in the Philippines. 2021-12-14. When In Manila. en-US.
  2. Web site: Platoon (1986) Movie Filming Locations - The 80s Movies Rewind. 2021-12-14. www.fast-rewind.com.
  3. Web site: Chuyaco. Joy Jonette. Made-in-Phl Hollywood films. 2021-12-14. Philstar.com.
  4. Web site: Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection Film Philippines. 2021-12-15. www.filmphilippines.com.
  5. Web site: 2020-03-03. 7 International Films Shot in the Philippines. 2021-12-14. ZenRooms Blogs. en-US.
  6. News: Bunoan . Vladimir . Why UK director made 'Metro Manila' . 20 October 2021 . ABS-CBN News . 7 October 2013.
  7. Web site: August 29, 2019. Anri. Ichimura . 10 International Films Shot in the Philippines. 2021-12-14. Esquiremag.ph.
  8. News: 10 International Films Shot in the Philippines . 20 October 2021 . Esquire . 29 August 2019.
  9. Web site: 2018-09-27. Improvisers shine in Sean Devlin's When the Storm Fades. 2021-12-14. The Georgia Straight. en.
  10. News: Biong . Ian . South Korean film ‘The Golden Holiday’ starring Mon Confiado to premiere this December . 20 October 2021 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 12 December 2020 . en . Viva International Pictures announced that the film, described as “A Korean blockbuster shot entirely in the Philippines,” / In Manila, Byung-su finds Yong-bae in prison for murder, and hears about the case surrounding ‘Yamashita’s Gold.’.
  11. Web site: FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Year of Living Dangerously. 2021-12-15. Cineaste Magazine. en-US.
  12. News: Philippine Star: Away from Home . Philippine Star . 30 September 2023 . en.
  13. Web site: Bennett. Melissa. 2016-05-30. Tazza: The High Rollers is an award winning film from 2006. 2021-12-15. Casino Online Reviews. en-US.
  14. Web site: Elley. Derek. 2009-10-23. I Come With the Rain. 2021-12-15. Variety. en-US.
  15. Web site: Manila streets closed for Bourne . MB.com . August 2, 2012.
  16. News: 'Bourne Legacy' movie starts filming in the heart of Manila . Marinel R. . Cruz . . January 11, 2012 . July 19, 2012.
  17. News: Yes, that 'Avengers: Infinity War' scene is in PH . 20 October 2021 . ABS-CBN News . 26 April 2018 . en.
  18. News: Where in the Philippines was a scene from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ shot? . 20 October 2021 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 27 April 2018 . en.