Where Was “It” Filmed?

Where was “It” filmed? Stephen King is one of the most prolific American horror authors, bringing chills and scares to readers for decades. Some of his more famous stories, including “The Shining,” “Pet Sematary,” and “Salem’s Lot,” have been developed into movies and television miniseries.

One that has been scaring people for years and giving them an intense fear of clowns is his story “It”. It was a miniseries in 1990 and even became two feature length movies in 2017 and 2019. Some people will remember Tim Curry’s terrifying portrayal of Pennywise the clown in the 1990 miniseries. However, new viewers may associate the character with Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of the monster in the new movies.

The story follows a group of outcasts and misfits called the “Losers Club”. The gang lives in Derry, Maine and face many terrifying supernatural ordeals as they grow up there. Besides the horrifying Pennywise, one other thing that might keep fans up at night is the question: “Where was ‘It’ filmed?”

We at Peerspace are here to answer that question for you! So put on that yellow raincoat and grab yourself a red balloon – we’re about to give you the scoop on everything Derry.

Is Derry, Maine a real place?

Before we can address the question “Where was ‘It’ filmed?”, let’s discuss the backdrop for the story: Derry, Maine. Like the fictional town of Castle Rock that has appeared in many of Stephen King’s stories, Derry is another creation of the author. The town was the setting for “Insomnia” and “Dreamcatcher,” among others. It feels almost like a character in itself with how much time King’s characters spend there. The town is host to many iconic locations from King’s mythos such as 29 Neibolt Street and Kitchener Ironworks.

Unfortunately for fans, they’ll have to stick to filming locations from the movies to satiate their urge to visit Derry. Let’s pull back the curtain to see where filmmakers found the perfect spot for the infamous town.

Where was “The Shining” filmed? Find out here!

The film version of Derry, Maine

You might expect the production to use a town in Maine to shoot in for the 2017 and 2019 versions of “It”. However, it turns out that they found their equivalent of Derry in the municipality of Port Hope, near Toronto, Canada. We’ll share some of the more iconic scenes from the movie so you know where to explore in Port Hope.

One of the places that fans of the movies will remember quite well is the creepy house with Pennywise’s lair. According to an article from Atlas of Wonders, the house was actually shot at two locations, one for the exteriors and one for the interiors.

To save some money, the production company built the exterior of the mansion on a lot on the corner of James Street and Eulalie Avenue in central Oshawa. Luckily, they only had to build the facade and filled the rest in with CGI. That was easier than trying to find an actual house that fit all of their requirements.

They also go on to talk about where they filmed the interiors of the creepy house. This was at a mansion called the Cranfield House, located on Papa Avenue in Toronto. No wonder it was so convincingly old in the movie, considering the mansion dates all the way back to 1902!

Further along in that Atlas of Wonders article they describe some of the other spots in Port Hope that made up many of the most memorable filming locations in “It.” In the first “It” movie, fans will remember the scenes that took place in the alley with the “Quality Meats” sign on the door. These scenes were filmed near the Capitol Theater, one of the more noticeable landmarks in Port Hope. Walton Street, where the theater is located, is not far from the filming locations of some other scenes that fans will remember, including Beverley’s house and the secondhand shop called “Rose” from the second movie. If you’re a big fan of the movies and hoping to visit its locations yourself, it would be well worth your time to visit Port Hope for a terrifying tour.

Other notable Toronto filming locations

There were times when the production couldn’t find what they were looking for in the municipality of Port Hope. And when that happened, they found what they needed in and around Toronto, Canada.

A location that might interest you is Weston, a suburb west of Toronto, according to Movie Locations. Bill’s house is located near Pearson Airport, along with the location of the storm drain where Pennywise lures Georgie with the red balloon. If you’re looking to find it, check the south side of Springmont Avenue. You can easily see the precise location while there.

Another important location we would hate to miss is the Barrens. It’s where the town’s landfill is located and where the Losers Club spend a lot of their time away from home. According to the same Movie Locations article, you can find it in the Rouge National Urban Park near Toronto. This isn’t the first time this location was used, as it also doubled as Alberta in the first X-Men movie!

Last on our list today is another location that the Losers Club frequents: the quarry where they go swimming. This is the Elora Quarry Conservation Area in the city of Guelph.

Love all Stephen King stories? Then read “where was Stand By Me filmed?” next!

Find filming locations of your own on Peerspace

We have finally put a pin to the question “Where was ‘It’ filmed?”! But now you may be wondering where to find filming locations for your own creative projects?

If so, check out Peerspace. It’s an online platform for renting filming or photoshoot locations for rent by the hour. In fact, you can discover thousands of listings in hundreds of cities in Canada, the US, and the UK.

Find unique filming locations on Peerspace