Return of Shot on Site Summer - Ghostbusters 2016 Locations, Part 8 (Movie Rundown)

Welcome to Spook Central's continuing Return of Shot on Site Summer event wherein we take a look at all of the filming locations for Paul Feig's 2016 Ghostbusters (aka Ghostbusters: Answer The Call). Every Sunday - henceforth dubbed Shot on Site Sundays - at Noon (Eastern) for several weeks (all parts available here in reverse order), we will go through the entire movie from start to finish telling and showing you where everything was filmed in or around Boston, Massachusetts; with a great deal of quick shots in Manhattan, New York; and one spot in Los Angeles, California. We will be utilizing the Theatrical and Extended cuts of the movie from the Blu-ray, as that provides the most locations than just the Theatrical Cut alone. With that in mind, SPOILER WARNING if you read any further... though I suspect that whomever wants to see the movie already has, and those who want to avoid it won't care. Those in the latter camp have probably stopped reading this post already. That's cool. There's lots of material on Spook Central about the original movies and animated series for you to look at.

The majority of locations were identified and researched by Matthew Jordan back in 2016, way before anyone else did it. Secondary thanks go to all of the fine folks on the internet who documented the filming of the movie in 2015, which helped in Matt's research. A few locations were identified by me (Paul Rudoff) and MrMichaelT. The title graphic seen at the top was created by Matthew Jordan, based on an idea by Paul Rudoff. Now that that's out of the way, let us continue...

Thanks to Rowan, all of the ghosts break through the barrier. This includes the ghostly memory of a Thanksgiving Day parade from the past.


While I said that I wouldn't cover skyline shots, this one is different because you actually see the "characters" (the balloons) in it. Look slightly to the left of the middle in the shot above. The balloons manifest at West 38th Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. At street level, that would be this place:


With no car, the ladies hoof it on foot. They come to an intersection where they spy the ghostly parade. They destroy the balloons, with a little help from a friend.


This whole encounter happens on Federal Street, at Franklin Street in Boston. If this intersection looks familiar, it's because it was in the background of the scene with the blogger, as noted earlier. The balloons are coming in from Milk Street, which is the same street that is crossed by Slimer driving the Ecto-1 and a shot of people fleeing.


After busting the balloons, they all run down "Canfora Street" toward the Mercado in Times Square.


This follows the real-life location of the balloon bust, so obviously, Canfora is a fake street name. They're actually running down Franklin Street, towards Congress Street in Boston. As is obvious, everything in this shot beyond Congress Street was altered. The real-life image below is followed by an on-set shot showing the "Stay Puft balloon" landing on the team. This best shows the intersection pointed down Franklin Street. If you look carefully, you'll notice that "Canfora" street was originally going to be called "Broadway".



Proving that he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, Rowan doesn't use his control over the police and military to turn their weapons on the Ghostbusters, but rather makes them dance in a scene exclusive to the Extended Cut.


Here's an unused shot from International Trailer #2, which not only better matches the behind-the-scenes shot below, but is also from an early cut of the film where Times Square stayed in the present.


This was shot on that outdoor airfield set in Weymouth. All of the buildings were green-screened in later.


The Ghostbusters finally arrive in Time Square to find that Kevin/Rowan has commandeered the military and froze them in place.


This was shot on a set.


They battle Rowan inside the Mercado lobby, and in the streets. While nearly all of that was done on sets, with most of the "locations" filled-in with green screen, there was one practical location in the showdown: when large No Ghost Rowan imitates the Statue of Liberty by stepping on a taxi cab.




A real crushed cab prop was dragged all the way over to the 53 State Exchange Place Building at the corner of Congress Street and Exchange Street in Boston. The cab is on Congress, and the team hides down a little side alley named Quaker Lane directly across the street.



It is here where we get a unique discrepancy between the Theatrical and Extended cuts. The Extended shows a longer scene of the team down the alley discussing their options. The Theatrical has some exclusive footage of a frightened crowd running through the streets while Rowan destroys a building.


Those panicked people were running in front of 125 High Street in Boston, which is also where the fake 50th Street subway station entrance was placed for the ghost rat scene already covered.


The day is saved! Time for the aftermath. The mayor is on TV denying everything.


The mayor and reporter are actually standing in front of the aforementioned W Lounge in Boston, which portrayed the Lotus Leaf restaurant in the movie. The stores down Tremont Street are seen in the background. So, that means in this one location they filmed (1) Stonebrook Theater, (2) Lotus Leaf restaurant, and (3) Mayor TV Interview. Talk about efficient use of a location!


Al Roker reports on the news.


Of course, that's NBC's Today Show studio on West 49th Street at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan.


The Ghostbusters celebrate at a local pub.


It's the Jacob Wirth Co. German Restaurant at 31-37 Stuart Street in Boston. It's down the block from the multi-use location with Stonebrook, Lotus Leaf, and Mayor TV Interview. Google Maps has the interior documented.


That's a wrap! Be sure to come back next week - same ghost time, same ghost channel - for our look at the locations from the deleted scenes, unused trailer shots, and behind-the-scenes shots.