Culprits: Where Was the Hulu Show Filmed?

Adapted from ‘Culprits: The Heist Was Just the Beginning’ edited by Richard Brewer and Gary Phillips, Hulu’s ‘Culprits’ is a heist thriller series created by J. Blakeson that revolves around a crew who took part in a heist several years ago and went their separate ways. Years later, their peaceful and settled lives are interrupted by a merciless assassin who targets all of them, one by one.

Having no idea about the identity of the masked killer, the crew must reunite and track him down before they become his next prey. Featuring brilliant onscreen performances from Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Gemma Arterton, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Niamh Algar, and Kamel El Basha, the crime show involves flashback scenes of the vault the crew robbed in the past, and their present that includes chasing and getting away from the masked assassin in different settings, making the viewers curious about the shooting locations of ‘Culprits.’

Culprits is Filmed in Four Countries

‘Culprits’ is filmed in Ontario, England, Spain, and Norway, especially in Toronto, Cambridge, Manchester, London, and Catalonia. As per reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the crime series got underway in February 2022 and wrapped up in about 135 shooting days, in June of the same year. So, let’s get to know all about the specific sites that host the production of the Hulu show!

Toronto, Ontario

Several pivotal sequences for ‘Culprits’ are lensed in and around Toronto, the capital of Ontario. In an interview with Above The Line, the showrunner, J. Blakeson, was asked about the locations. He stated, “It was a 75-percent location show. We found lots and lots of locations. We’re moving through them so quickly. I think that gives it the feel of being cinematic because it doesn’t feel enclosed. It feels like it keeps on opening up. The first three episodes were mostly shot in Canada but for America.” He also mentioned that they shot the scenes set in Canada in Canada itself.

 

Cambridge, Ontario

The shooting of a significant portion of ‘Culprits’ takes place in the city of Cambridge, which is situated in the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers. The community of Galt, in particular, is one of the filming sites where the production team tapes several important sequences. For instance, they utilize the area around the Historic Galt City Hall at 46 Dickson Street and Mill Race Park at 36 Water Street North, both in Cambridge, to record a few portions.

Preston is yet another community of Cambridge that turns into a film set for the production of ‘Culprits.’ To be specific, the cast and crew reportedly were spotted around 634 King Street East in Preston during the shooting schedule of season 1. In addition, Queen Street East in the neighborhood of Hespeler in Cambridge and a property on Guelph Avenue serve as a couple of production locations as well.

Manchester, England

For the purpose of filming, the production team of the Hulu show also moves to Manchester, a city and borough in the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England. Showrunner J. Blakeson shared some interesting details about the taping of season 1 the same interview as mentioned above. When asked about the challenges they were exposed to while scouting locations for the inaugural season of the heist-themed show, he stated, “…the heist takes place around this big building, and we could not find that in London, so we went to Manchester to find a building that worked for us, and we shot there for a week.”

Blakeson further added, “It’s an old, empty factory. It’s part of the old industrial area in Manchester, so it’s surrounded by offices now, but that one just happened to be empty…” A portion of the shooting also takes place in several streets across the city, specifically Dale Street, Paton Street, Little Lever Street as well as Dickinson Street, where a getaway scene of the first season was taped. The sequence wherein a S.W.A.T squad opens fire at a car fleeing the scene is Bradley’s Court in the upbeat and vibrant neighborhood of Northern Quarter.

London, England

London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, is also a filming site of ‘Culprits.’ In March 2022, the cast and crew of the first installment of the show were spotted lensing a few scenes at a park located across Paradise Street in Rotherhithe in southeast London. Part of the London Borough of Southwark, the charming neighborhood is famous for its rich history, food, heritage, and art scene, easy-going lifestyle, and stunning locales, thus earning it the title of “a little slice of Holland or Denmark in London.”

In addition to Rotherhithe, a few scenes are also shot at a property on Hickin Street. The Gaddesden Place in the Dacorum district of Hertfordshire is also where the show is shot. Situated over 20 miles northwest of London, the 18th-century country house lying exactly at Red Lion Lane in Great Gaddesden, a village north of Hemel Hempstead, is known for its Palladian/Neoclassical architectural style and design.

Catalonia, Spain

A portion of the filming of ‘Culprits’ is also conducted in Barcelona, the capital city of the autonomous region of Catalonia in the northeastern part of Spain. Also known as the City of Counts, the cityscapes and mesmerizing landmarks of Barcelona have assisted in enhancing the visual aspect of a variety of crime-themed movies and television shows such as ‘The Invisible Guest,’ ‘Code 60,’ ‘Who Is Erin Carter?,’ ‘Xtreme,’ and ‘The Legacy of the Bones,’ over the years. The scenes set in Lombardy, Italy are actually filmed in areas just outside of Barcelona.

Norway

Located in Northern Europe, the Scandinavian country of Norway also serves as a backdrop for ‘Culprits.’ It is renowned for the beauty and serenity of its deep fjords, breathtaking glaciers, snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, and overall stunning landscapes, which also makes it an attractive production location for a variety of projects.