Where Was Each Film In The John Wick Series Filmed?

If you’re into movie pilgrimages like I am, the 'John Wick' franchise is a dream because it’s basically a globe-trotting action diary with New York as its beating heart. The first film, 'John Wick' (2014), was shot largely in and around New York City — Manhattan and Brooklyn get most of the love. A lot of the close-combat choreography, those iconic alleyway shoots, and the Continental exterior vibes were captured on location in NYC, with some nearby New Jersey spots and studio days filling in interiors and more controlled action set-ups. The whole gritty, neon-lit café-to-nightclub feel was built from actual city blocks plus carefully staged soundstage work to make the fights feel visceral and lived-in.

Moving on to 'John Wick: Chapter 2' (2017), the scale expands — the crew didn’t just stay local. About half of the film’s production was still anchored in New York, but several crucial sequences were shot in Rome, Italy. The Rome segments give the film that operatic, historic contrast to the urban brutality of New York; you can feel the old-world architecture playing off the modern assassin mythos. Beyond those two main centers, there was also studio work and location shooting in nearby regions to stitch everything together — production often uses local soundstages and smaller locales to double for interiors and connective scenes, which is why the film’s geography can feel both distinctive and seamless.

By the time 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum' (2019) rolls around, the map spreads even wider. New York remains a primary base for production — it’s the franchise’s visual spine — but the production added international flavors. Some sequences required desert or more exotic backdrops and were shot overseas and on location outside the city, with studio setups filling the rest. The third film keeps bouncing between tightly choreographed urban combat (mostly NYC) and more expansive, cinematic set pieces shot in other countries or on purpose-built stages. That blend of location authenticity and controlled stage work is why the fights look so real yet cinematographically dramatic.

Finally, 'John Wick: Chapter 4' (2023) embraces a genuinely international shoot list. The production filmed across multiple countries — New York still features prominently, but there are big chunks shot in European cities like Paris and Germany (you can spot continental architecture and moody streets), and in East Asia (notably scenes in Japan) for that stylistic samurai-meets-gunplay aesthetic. Studio work and local crews helped create the seamless transitions between continents. Across the series, the constant is New York; the variable is the globe-trotting flavor each sequel adds to expand the mythos and visual palette, so fans get both local grit and international grandeur in one franchise. I love tracing those locations on a map and imagining which cafe or stairwell doubled for a fight — it makes rewatching the films into a scavenger hunt.

I’ve always marked travel spots on my calendar, and watching the 'John Wick' films felt like following a modern map of cinema locations. The original 'John Wick' (2014) was predominantly filmed right in New York City — Manhattan and Brooklyn form the backbone of that film’s look. A lot of the movie’s real-world grit comes from on-location shooting in city neighborhoods, while certain interiors and highly controlled sequences were handled on soundstages and nearby studio spaces. The effect is a film that breathes like the city itself, with real streets and storefronts lending authenticity.

When the story broadened in 'John Wick: Chapter 2' (2017), the filmmakers expanded the physical world of the character by filming not only in New York but also in Rome, Italy. The Roman locations give the film a very different texture — ancient stonework and European urbanism create a striking counterpoint to New York’s neon alleys. Studio stages and additional locations (both in the U.S. and abroad) were used to bridge the scenes so that the action could flow from one city to another without losing momentum. That blend of New York’s raw interiors and Rome’s classical backdrops made Chapter 2 stand out visually.

By 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum' (2019), production again leaned on New York as a central hub but added filming in other countries to realize the cinematic set-pieces. The movie interweaves New York streets with international set-pieces and carefully constructed studio environments. The filmmakers used foreign locations for mood and spectacle while relying on North American soundstages for tightly choreographed sequences. This mix keeps the world feeling lived-in while allowing for imaginative action design.

'John Wick: Chapter 4' (2023) is the most globe-spanning of the bunch. It was shot in multiple international locales — the film features scenes filmed across Europe and Asia in addition to New York City. Paris and Germany appear in the film’s geographic roster, and sequences in Japan add a distinct flavor. Production also employed local studios and crews to recreate and enhance on-location shoots. Across the series, the through-line is New York production, with each sequel sampling international flavors to expand the visual and narrative scope. I always enjoy watching and trying to spot where a particular street or staircase might be from — it turns a film rerun into a little geography lesson, and sometimes sparks a weekend trip idea.

If you like piecing together movie locations like I do when I’m on a coffee break, the 'John Wick' films are endlessly fun to map. The first film, 'John Wick' (2014), is basically stamped with New York City — Manhattan and Brooklyn. That urban core supplies the film’s texture: neon-drenched streets, tight interiors, and the kind of alleyway fights that feel like they could happen on any city block if you blinked. Of course, not everything was shot in public — lots of the action sequences were filmed on closed sets and soundstages near the city to control lighting, choreography, and safety, but the city vibe is unmistakable.

'John Wick: Chapter 2' (2017) pulls a neat trick: it keeps the series rooted in New York while taking a huge detour to Rome. The Roman shoot gives the film a different palette — broader boulevards, classical ruins, and architectural grandeur that contrast beautifully with NYC’s grit. The crew swapped between on-location shoots in Rome and practical soundstage work elsewhere, which is why the transition from one city to another in the film feels natural yet cinematic.

The third installment, 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum' (2019), squares its shoulders and spreads production further. New York remains the anchor point, but the movie sprinkles in sequences filmed overseas and on specialized sets, contributing to a world that feels international and lived-in. That’s where you get those unusual set pieces — they’re often built in studios or in foreign locales chosen for a specific visual mood, then blended back into the New York-led narrative.

By 'John Wick: Chapter 4' (2023), the franchise fully embraces a multinational production model. The film shoots across multiple cities: New York is still central, but there are extended shoots across Europe and Asia — places like Paris and parts of Germany show up in the film’s geography, and scenes filmed in Japan bring that distinct visual tone. A lot of on-location work is paired with studio shoots to manage complex action and choreography. For fans who like to visit film locations, the series offers a fun mix: walkable New York spots you can actually stand on, and exotic international locales you’ll only encounter on screen unless you plan a longer trip. I love that rewatching becomes a kind of location scouting exercise — it keeps the films fresh and gives me daydreams about following in Wick’s footsteps.