Yesterday I came home and found a note on the door (see below) about the filming of the Universal Pictures film Wanted over the next few days. The movie’s cast includes Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Common, Konstantin Khabensky, Terence Stamp, Chris Pratt and Kristen Hager. Normally, I don’t write about celebrities, then again movies normally aren’t shot right in front of my window in a highly residential neighborhood! I’m hoping they’ll be good neighbors while they are here.
The focus area of the local shoot appears to be two blocks south of Wrigley Field in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood. An antique shop seems to be one of the areas of focus. As of this writing, they are still setting up tons of mobile equipment here locally. The note says traffic will be diverted from 11Pm-5AM tonight, when combined with all the lighting equipment being brought in and it appears that some of the scenes will be shot at night August 12-13th. A local neighborhood map of this Chicago area can be found here.
I’ve never seen so many cops around (also pictured below). I mean the Chicago Cubs could actually win the World Series and there would be less cops! It’s too bad the Chicago Police aren’t out in force like this on game days or on Friday or Saturday nights on Clark Street in Chicago.
If you have any notes on what they are filming or you are going to be in the area, please drop me a note or write your own blog post about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Take care.
UPDATE 8/13 7:30AM: The filming did not take place last night. There is only a few people out there right now.
UPDATE #2 8/13 3:45PM A truck just unloaded 3 older cars in front of my place. No plates on the cars.
UPDATE #3 8/13 5:15PM – Just received this email from Alderman Tunney’s office:
To the residents and businesses in Wrigleyville
The cast and crew of “Wanted” would like to thank you for your cooperation and patience during the filming in your neighborhood. (Commentary – does this mean a free screening?)
While the Studio is Universal Pictures, the crew is made up to a large extent of residents from the Chicago area who are highly professional and respectful of the areas where we film.
Tonight is our last night of main unit filming in your neighborhood. The locations will be mainly in the alley between Sheffield and Clark from Roscoe to School St and in the alley east of Clark between Roscoe and Newport and there will be some simulated gunfire in these areas. As always, Chicago Police will be with us to help with any traffic problems.
We greatly appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing Wrigleyville in the movies.
Thank you.
thank you for the update
my friend lives in Chicago, 3 blocks from there;
she went last night, and nothing ,
do you think tonight , we can come close by and watch the filming ?
thanks
I just walked the movie scene site and they had production people and cops coming into people’s houses, maybe the actors will be using the buildings in the movies?
Now there are a lot of cops out there-
thank you very much David and Tristan for the updates!
very much appreciated!
wish i was there with all of you!
i’m not in the US but it’s very exciting news!
it is not everyday that you can watch the making of a movie in the neighborhood!
Angie On Set!
Once again, there were some false reports today in a local Chicago newspaper stating that Angelina Jolie would continue filming scenes for her movie “Wanted” tomorrow. Well, the Boots Girls reported she would continue filming this evening. As predicted, Jolie pulled up to her trailers on set about an hour ago. She’ll be filming all night
are they still shooting there?
[…] Angelina Jolie continues filming in Chicago this week. The production (including Angie) has been spotted in the Wrigleyville area of […]
I happened to be walking a friend home that lives in the area, and she was not really happy that while walking to her house that is near the filming, we were asked to turn around after walking 4 blocks. Yes i know this brings in additional revenue and recognition to Chicago. But she complained all the way to her house about not being able to walk her usual traveled path and not being asked politley and after she is paying taxes and should feel free to walk the area she lives in.
Hi there!
info today from Chicago suntimes:
Some of you may be relieved to know that Jolie’s filming on “Wanted” is wrapping up a bit earlier than expected. Sunday will be her final day of shooting. At this point, the actress’ work mostly will take her to Lower Wacker and West Lake Street to match up with some chase scenes filmed earlier without her. Sunday much of the Loop should be blocked off as filming is scheduled at the Grill Room on Monroe (across from the LaSalle Bank Theatre), along with some further chase scenes planned near the Aon Building and La Salle Street near the Board of Trade.
The end of this week — likely Friday — Jolie and the crew are expected to film on their stage set at the Chicago Studio City on the Far West Side at 5660 W. Taylor.
The entire local shoot of “Wanted” (post-Angelina) should conclude by Aug. 26, including a few more scenes shot in Berwyn.
BTW another movie is filming :Rory first kiss
from 12 to 18 th
[quote]Beginning Saturday, August 11 and continuing through Saturday, August 18, preparations for and filming of a feature film currently disguised as “Rory’s First Kiss” is scheduled at 330 North Wabash. The filming takes place in the lobby, thirteenth and third floors as well as the exterior south plaza. The actual filming dates are: Sunday, August 12 in the lobby (southwest side), Wednesday and Thursday, August 15 and 16 on the 13th floor, and Friday and Saturday, August 17 and 18 on the 3rd floor and exterior. [/quote]
Chicago is very lucky this year in the filming departement!
i think there are 3 movies on the works in the summer ;
Have a good day!
about WANTED
if you are interested , here is the last info from the “city of Chicago”
TRAFFIC RESTRICTION NOTICE
LOCATIONS: LAKE, WABASH AND WACKER PLACE.
PERMISSION TO : FULL CLOSURE OF LAKE, WABASH AND WACKER PLACE FOR THE
FILMING OF THE FEATURE FILM WANTED.
RESTRICTION:
1. FULL CLOSURE OF LAKE STREET FROM DEARBORN TO STETSON, WACKER PLACE
FROM WABASH TO MICHIGAN AND WABASH FROM RANDOLPH TO WACKER ON
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 15TH FROM 11:00 P.M. TO 6:00 A.M.AND THURSDAY, AUGUST
16TH, FROM 7:00 P.M TO 6:00 A.M.
[…] is now packed up and gone from filming Wanted in my local area of Chicago, but it was mostly fun while it […]
The filming of this movie caused some consternation amount certain residents (one angrily commented on my blog in fact!) but it seems to me like the cast/crew of Wanted did a fairly decent job of being polite and staying out of residents’ way.
I am coming to Chicago on August 23rd and leaving august 28th -Does anyone know where they will be shooting over those dates? Would love to catch some of the shoot if possible.
thanks
oops meant to mark this for someone to contact me.
Thanks again
I was in the area for the Brewers/Cubs game on the 28th, just missed the shoot when we stopped at O’Haras (I think that’s the name of the place)on our way to Wrigley. We ended up wandering by the actors trailer, seen some names, but unfortunately didn’t catch any of them out and about. At least the Brewers won, go Crew!
O’Hagan’s!
It’s OK, we know people from Wisconson can’t read! 😉
[…] scene along Wacker Drive – and a couple of sites recount the buzz of the on-location filming – David Dalka for […]
I just finished watching the movie “Wanted” and noticed a shot that was supposed to be a textile mill where the main operations were housed. It appears to be on a Chicago river with a river draw bridge nearby and maybe sandwiched between the rive and some railroad tracks? It has a “castle like” appearance in some of the architecture. Is this building actually in Chicago? And I doubt it, but was it ever a textile mill?
The “textile mill” looks like it’s just Photoshopped in just north of the Dan Ryan expy where it crosses the south branch.
At about the 30 minute mark, AJ is crossing the S canal st bridge just south of S lumber st, then goes across W 22nd st bridge westbound. In the aerial shot of the “mill,” the Dan Ryan expy is at the bottom of the screen with both of the above bridges visible at the left edge of the screen above the white tanks. In real life the mill is nowhere to be seen, at least not there.