Alberta: More Than Scenery — A Star in its Own Right
When you think of cinematic landscapes, mountains, prairies, small towns, harsh weather, and rugged wilderness—Alberta delivers all that and versatility. Over decades the province has provided settings that feel epic, intimate, frontier-wild, nostalgic, urban decay, or hopeful recovery. The result: Alberta doesn’t just fill in for somewhere else; it elevates stories.
Past & Present: Notable Films Shot in Alberta
Here are some of the films (and a few TV shows) that used Alberta’s geography, towns, and seasonal extremes to great effect, plus what they show us about the province’s strengths.
The Revenant (2015): Kananaskis Country, Fortress Mountain, Bragg Creek, Dead Man’s Flats, along the Bow River, etc. Its wild, wintry landscapes play a huge role—they’re a character themselves. The film is often praised for its immersive naturalism; crews had to shoot using natural light and handle very difficult terrain and weather. Alberta’s wilderness helped make it visceral. Interstellar (2014): Southern Alberta: Nanton, Longview, Lethbridge. Even the baseball field dust storm was filmed near Okotoks. It shows how Alberta can stand in for otherworldly or dystopian environments; the open sky and dramatic plains give scale. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) Calgary, Drumheller, Fort Macleod, Turner Valley Gas Plant, etc. The nostalgic small-town/rural settings make Alberta a believable stand-in for generic “Everytown, USA,” or middle America. Its geological features (badlands, coulees) give texture. Legends of the Fall, Morley, Ghost River Wilderness; ranches, sweeping valleys, towering mountains, romantic epic where the scale of nature is part of the story. Alberta delivers grandeur (“epic vistas”) without having to go overseas. Unforgiven (1992): Southwest Alberta; towns and rural landscapes near Longview, plus Kananaskis for more rugged scenes. Classic western; Alberta has long been a natural for Westerns because it gives that frontier, raw land feeling. Passchendaele (2008) Shot in Calgary, Fort Macleod, and in Belgium too, but Alberta scenes are central. A major Canadian historical film; proves Alberta can pull off period war settings too.
TV & More Recent Productions
The Last of Us One of Alberta’s most massive productions. Over 180 locations across the province, including Calgary, Edmonton, Fort Macleod, and Canmore. The landscapes were used to mimic many U.S. settings in a post-apocalyptic world. Heartland Rural Alberta, High River, Millarville, and Calgary neighborhoods. Long-running and very tied to Alberta ranch culture and country life. Wynonna Earp Filmed in Calgary and surrounding areas. Its supernatural western flavor gets boosted by Alberta’s open skies, moody landscapes, and historical buildings. My Life With the Walter Boys Though set in Colorado in the story, many of the scenes were filmed in Alberta—Calgary, Cochrane, ranch properties, etc. The province doubled convincingly.
What Alberta Brings That Few Other Places Can
Diversity of Landscape. Mountains, prairie, badlands, foothills, rivers, urban cores. You can go from big sky and isolation to gritty city in just a few hours.
Seasons & Weather as Character. Harsh winters, dramatic storms, snow, sweeping vistas with light angles that change dramatically. Perfect for films wanting mood, struggle, and redemption.
Authenticity + Infrastructure. There are local crews, studios, and experienced location scouts. Over time, Alberta has built the capacity to support large-scale productions.
Flexibility. Many productions use Alberta to double for U.S. settings or entirely fictional settings (post-apocalyptic, fantasy, etc.). It’s often more economical, and the look is stunning.
Cultural & Historical Texture. The presence of ranches, Indigenous lands, historical buildings, the Badlands, and small towns with preserved architecture—all of these enrich stories, whether they’re contemporary, historical, or speculative.
What’s Coming & Why It Matters
Alberta continues to draw big productions (as with The Last of Us and My Life With the Walter Boys), which helps local economies and talent.
The visibility of these shows makes Albertans proud—especially when people recognize spots in their own towns or perhaps drive by sets.
Also important: growing awareness of Indigenous stories & filmmakers in Alberta. As more projects prioritize authenticity and respect for place, Alberta’s lands and people are being more thoughtfully woven into stories.
Lastly, with changing incentives and global streaming platforms looking for new places, Alberta may continue to punch above its weight in terms of the variety and scale of productions.
Some Alberta-Starring Spots You Might Want to Visit
Fort Macleod & the Badlands (for that rustic/rural feeling)
Kananaskis Country and Foothills (for rugged mountains, deep snow, wild terrain)
Calgary & its neighbourhoods (urban scenes, mixed architecture)
High River / Millarville (for ranch scenes, country life)
Canmore, Banff, etc. (as gateway to Rocky Mountain scenery)
Conclusion
Alberta is more than just a pretty backdrop—it’s a partner in storytelling. Whether for sweeping epics like The Revenant, post-apocalyptic dramas like The Last of Us, or cozy family-ranch life in Heartland, the province provides places, textures, lighting, and space that filmmakers love. And as production keeps growing, so does Alberta’s role, not just behind the scenes, but right up front in the magic of cinema and TV.
Reel Alberta: From Idea to Action
I’ve officially entered pre-production for Reel Alberta: The Untold Story of Film in Hollywood’s North!
This stage is all about laying the groundwork:
Researching Alberta’s deep film history
Building a master list of movies and TV shows shot here (from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden gems)
Reaching out to filmmakers, actors, and crew for potential interviews
Securing access to historic filming locations
The story of Alberta on screen is bigger than even I expected—every corner of our province has been a backdrop for unforgettable stories. By carefully planning shot lists, scouting locations, and shaping the script, we’re making sure this film is both historically accurate and visually stunning.
We’re also starting to reach out to local communities, film commissions, and archives—because this project is as much about preserving history as it is about telling it.
Stay tuned—next, we’ll be moving from research into scheduling our first shoots on location!