Where Was Malignant Filmed? Tale Of A Living Nightmare!

Ever wondered what would happen, if you wake up and your nightmares have come to life? Hold on, now you don’t need to imagine the horrific situation, and be petrified. Because today I will discuss a horror mystery flick, Malignant that deals in the same topic! Plus, later in this article, I will let you in on where was Malignant filmed. 

The American horror mystery, Malignant, released in 2021, was inspired from a story by Ingrid Bisu and his friends. Director James Wan masterfully presents the story of a middle aged woman, Madison Mitchell living in Seattle. Who finds out the trances and dreams about the gruesome murders in her neighbourhood, are real!

Malignant, upon its release, received a good response from the audience! The critics reviewed the film positively too. Although, it failed commercially! The film grossed $30 million in total box office collection against a production budget of $40 million. However it still managed to earn a couple of awards, such as the ReFrame and Fangoria Chainsaw Awards in 2022!

Ok, so let’s discuss the plot of the film in brief. So, that you may get a better understanding of the narrative. Furthermore, I’ll share with you where was Malignant filmed, too.

Plot Of Malignant | What’s It About

The film begins in 1993 at a psychiatric research facility, where a group of doctors are shown to examine a violent and criminal minded individual. This patient in the film, Gabriel, possesses superhuman abilities like telekinesis and power to manipulate electromagnetic fields. And ends up using them to kill innocent people.

Later in the film, the character of Madison is introduced. Who lives in Seattle with her abusive husband. Falling prey to domestic violence, Madison is shown to suffer a concussion on her head. Soon after in the movie she starts having visions of her husband getting killed, and one day it actually happens!

Midway through the film, Madison reveals that she was adopted as a child. And has no primary memory about her childhood or parents. A link is established between Gabriel and Madison, which can be traced back to the traumas that she is shown to induce as a child.

As the film progresses towards the end, Gabriel is seen to finally get hold of Madison, through Dr. Weaver. But fails to permanently control the mind of the female lead. As Madison fights back to gather evidence against Gabriel to lock him in jail. The credits roll, as the cops eventually bring Gabriel to justice, as Madison receives psychological treatment at the hospital.

So, it’s about time for us to check out where was Malignant filmed. So that you can enjoy the beautiful filming locations that were used to shoot this horror thriller flick!

Where Was Malignant Filmed? Let’s Know This Horror Mystery Film Closely!!

Director James Wan along with cinematographer Michael Burgess, decided to shoot Malignant on location. The major sequences which feature the city of Seattle, were in fact filmed in the seaport city. However, to shoot a couple scenes which were pivotal for the film, the filming crew also traveled to the state of California.

The decision to film on location was not something the production unit initially agreed upon. As the other producers suggested the filming to take place in the state of Georgia instead, to save filming tax! But, Director Wan insisted on shooting in Seattle instead, as the scenes would come out as more authentic on screen! Which technically did look better, but at same time bumped up the production cost!

The principal photography began in September 2019 and was completed in almost 3 months! So, without waiting anymore, “let’s skip to the good part” and explore where was Malignant filmed, exactly!

Seattle, USA

The filmmakers arrived at the scenic city of Seattle, to shoot the establishing scenes of the film. The sequence where Madison is shown to live with her husband was filmed here. The production crew scouted a medium sized building located in the suburbs of Seattle to shoot outdoor scenes of the apartment. 

The scenes that featured the fictional mental research facility, “Simion Research Hospital” where the character of Gabriel is introduced, was filmed in a local hospital. To shoot the outdoor sequences of the renowned hospital located in the downtown area of Seattle, the filming crew had to acquire special permission. Lighting had to be adjusted for the sequences which were filmed at night! Which was sorted by ordering marked lighting equipment, to render the scene perfectly!

The final sequence of the movie which showcased the precinct that Gabriel was locked in, was also filmed at this location.

Here’s a list of movies and shows that you can watch, such as, Grey’s Anatomy, Frasier, Station 19, Fifty Shades of Grey, Into the Wild, The Ring and The Twin Peaks which were also filmed in Seattle.

California, USA

After completing the shooting in Seattle, the crew arrived in the state of California. The filming of the scene where Madison is shown to finally free herself from the clutches of Gabriel, was filmed in Los Angeles. 

The production unit then moved to the studios to film the interior sequences of the film. Special set was built to film interior shots of the hospital and Madison’s home. Which was later taken down after the completion of filming. The production unit took 1 month to finish filming in California.

Here are some prominent places in Los Angeles, such as Disney Park, Universal Studios Hollywood, Santa Monica Pier and The Broad that you can look into, if you wish to visit this place!

Final Words

Alright folks, now that you know where was Malignant filmed, I hope you liked reading this article. Do mention your thoughts in the comment section below! Plus, if you’d like to check other interesting articles, be sure to visit Viebly.