Code 8: Part II – the cinematic sci-fi in our backyard
The film, partially shot at UTM, is part of Netflix in Your Neighbourhood.
Have you ever wanted to visit your favourite show’s filming location? Wait no more! Code 8: Part II, a sequel to the hit film, Code 8 (2016), premiered on Netflix on February 28, starring famous Torontonian cousins, Stephen and Robbie Amell. Previously, Robbie starred in The Flash while Stephen starred in Arrow as Oliver Queen, but Code 8 is the first time they have had the chance to truly work together.
Directed by Jeff Chan, the sci-fi movie depicts the story of an ex-convict with powers, Connor Reed, who returns to the criminal life searching for a drug lord to help him protect a teen with powers from a corrupt cop.
Netflix in Your Neighbourhood is a website that highlights the behind-the-scenes of Canadian movies and TV, including the actors’ favourite filming sites and local restaurants, all to help strengthen local pride and help audiences connect in a more personal way. In addition to Code 8: Part II, the website also features other Canadian productions, such as Anne with an E, Locke & Key, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024), To All the Boys, and more!
In an interview with Netflix in Your Neighbourhood, the Amell cousins shared that being home and close to their loved ones were special aspects of filming in Southern Ontario. At one point, they even filmed at a location that was one block away from Stephen’s childhood home. The duo’s favourite restaurant to dine at was The Keg in Hamilton, while the film had scenes shot in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, and Kingston.
The film used Toronto to serve as the fictional Lincoln City. Specifically, the well-known Danforth neighbourhood of Toronto and Ted’s Restaurant from Scarborough were featured in the movie. Mississauga and the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) campus represented the fictional Lincoln Police Headquarters, a corrupt police force that oppresses people with powers. Hamilton’s Gothic Revival-style Manor House of Auchmar, in one of the oldest cities in Ontario, represented an orphanage in the sequel, while Kingston’s Kingston Penitentiary, featured in the film’s opening, stood as the prison Connor Reed is released from.
It is wonderful how our simple neighbourhoods and backyards—places we are used to seeing every day—serve as parts of a sensational film. It speaks to how UTM, a crucial part of our everyday lives, can be used to bring fictional stories to life! The very halls of the Communication, Culture & Technology Building that UTM students walk through everyday are featured in Code 8: Part II when Sergeant “King” Kingston walks through them.
As summer approaches and classes come to an end, visiting these nearby filming locations is a great way to kick-start and celebrate the warm weather and long days!
