Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Filming Locations

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was recently released on Netflix in the U.S.; and last month on physical disc media in the following formats: Standard 4K+Blu-ray Combo Pack, Steelbook 4K+Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack, and Individual DVD. To celebrate, let's take a look at all of the movie's filming locations.

It's no secret that a lot of the movie was filmed on closed sets at movie studios around the world, but you may be surprised to learn that a lot was filmed at places you can actually visit! Assuming you can travel to New York, Georgia (the state), and the United Kingdom, that is. Join me as I do a quick rundown of the movie's filming locations, sorted by location. If you use this as a sightseeing guide, do be aware that locations are not necessarily listed in order of proximity to each other. You may find yourself running back and forth around town if you were to follow this list as is.

This will not be a full movie rundown, like I did in the past for Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, and Answer the Call. Eventually I will do one of those for Afterlife and Frozen Empire, but today is not that day. As such, this list will not be in movie order, and will only show one image - usually from the movie, but occasionally a real-life photo instead - to illustrate each location. Usually, only the first appearance of a location will be noted. Google Street View links are provided for most locations, so you can take a virtual walkabout. These locations were identified by me (Paul Rudoff), MrMichaelT and Matthew Jordan of the Ghostbusters Wiki, and executive producer Eric Reich.


Since Spook Central is based out of New York, let's start here. The second unit filmed here in June of 2023. Also, this is the only place where no studio was used for filming.


Fifth Avenue between 21st Street & 18th Street (Manhattan) - This stretch of road is used extensively for the Sewer Dragon chase, starting with the title shot (0:04:16) that is placed over the flags of 141 Fifth Avenue and the subsequent Ecto-1 careening around the corner of E. 21st Street. Gary takes a hard left turn onto E. 18th Street with Phoebe hanging out the side of a moving vehicle (0:06:46). Ecto-1 races down Fifth Avenue to the Paranormal Research Center (PRC) (1:20:18). Ecto-1 takes a hard left turn from E. 21st Street onto Fifth Avenue (1:23:38) with a storm in the background, in a recreation of the first Ecto-1 shot (after the title), only filmed from a different angle. Ecto-1 driving down Fifth Avenue and passing E. 18th Street with Mini Pufts in tow, seen from behind (1:24:25). Filming on Fifth Avenue took place on June 3rd, 17th, and 18th.


Church Street and White Street (Manhattan) - After the Sewer Dragon wipes its butt across the side of the Ecto-1, two cars are involved in a head-on collision (0:05:59) at this intersection. Filming took place on June 7th & 8th.


Lafayette Street between Grand Street & Canal Street (Manhattan) - This stretch of road is used extensively for the Sewer Dragon chase, most notably for the release of the RTV and the attempt to get the ghost in the Drone Trap. The two-car head-on collision that took place at Church & White Streets is re-created at the intersection of Lafayette & Grand Streets (0:06:03) - even though the two locations look nothing alike, it's supposed to be the same crash - with the Ecto-1 making a hard u-turn in front of the Five Points Academy at 148 Lafayette Street. The Starbucks at 157 Lafayette Street (0:05:59) is seen at FOUR different times during the chase, including during a car interior "rear projection" shot (0:06:01). Once the RTV is released and the crew makes an attempt to put the ghost in both traps, the camera is swung around for busting from Howard Street to Canal Street (0:06:36). Filming took place on Lafayette Street on June 12th & 13th.


Chambers Street / Centre Street / City Hall Park (Manhattan) - The ending of the Sewer Dragon chase was filmed here, starting with Phoebe destroying a Brooklyn Bridge street sign (0:08:02) as the car passed by 49 Chambers Street. It should be noted that the background of this shot has been altered to replace the Municipal Building (GB1's City Hall Loading Dock) with the buildings that are actually behind it. The Municipal Building is back once the car turns right onto Centre Street (0:08:36). The buildings behind the Municipal Building are seen when the ghost and Drone Trap fly up high (0:08:08); the ghost is trapped alongside the Municipal Building at the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge (0:08:15). The Manhattan City Bank rental bikes are crashed into at the edge of City Hall Park on Centre Street, across from the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge (0:08:41). Later, as they drive back from the PRC while the Death Chill descends upon New York (at 1:23:43), the Ecto-1 is seen driving down Centre Street with the camera filming through City Hall Park. Filming at Chambers/Centre took place on June 4th.


Hook & Ladder #8 - 14 N. Moore Street (Manhattan) - Although the actors never filmed here, many exterior shots of the famed firehouse appear throughout the film, starting with a bicyclist riding by (0:11:32). Filming took place on June 15th with the Ecto-1, while background plates were filmed on June 19th.


Washington Square Park - 5th Avenue & Washington Square North (Manhattan) - Phoebe plays chess in this park (0:23:34), though the actual chess scene was filmed in another country. Later, the Death Chill makes its way through the famous arch (45:07) to the fountain, which freezes under its spell.


Ritz Cafe - 1133 1st Avenue (Manhattan) - The Melody Diner exterior (0:39:47).


New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building - Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street (Manhattan) - Library exterior background plates (0:56:05). Library interiors, and the Possessed Lion scene, were all filmed in another country. The actors never filmed at the real New York library, but the second unit were there on June 19th.


Broome Street at Eldridge Street (Manhattan) - Taxis are stuck in traffic (1:22:12) on Broome Street with Eldridge Street behind them. Cars skid on ice, a taxi is impaled on an ice spike, and a coffee shop freezes over (1:23:30); which all happens on Broome Street, between Eldridge Street and Forsyth Street. The coffee shop is at 118 Eldridge Street. Filming on Broome and Eldridge took place on June 10th & 11th.


Williamsburg Bridge Plaza Bus Terminal - Havemeyer Street between Broadway & South 5th Street, Williamsburg (Brooklyn) - An elevated train passes by at night (1:15:25). The movie camera is on Havemeyer Street (to the right of Broadway) shooting towards the bus terminal.


434 Broadway (Brooklyn) - The Death Chill creeps down the street (0:45:04).


Dream Burner Smoke Shop - 926 Broadway (Brooklyn) - Firemaster Vape Shop exterior (1:20:48). The interior is a studio set in Georgia.


Wonder Wheel & Beach, Coney Island (Brooklyn) - The Death Chill terrorizes beachgoers and teens at Coney Island and its famous Wonder Wheel amusement ride (1:22:15). Filming took place at Coney Island on June 5th and 6th.


Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge - Appears several times (0:30:03, 1:23:08, 1:23:14) as our heroes make their way to or from the PRC.


Joseph H. Lyons Pool - 6 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island - The exterior of the Paranormal Research Center (0:30:10).


Re-shoots took place in Georgia in December 2023. In addition to the on-location filming noted below, scenes were filmed at Trilith Studios (460 Sandy Creek Road, Fayetteville), such as the vape shop interior, some lab interiors, some firehouse ground floor and basement (containment unit) interiors, the semi truck interior, and the police car interior and exterior.


Peachtree Street SW & Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Atlanta - This intersection is home to three different scenes in the movie. After visiting Ray's Occult, Nadeem gets a taste of his powers when he passes by a food vendor (0:20:40) stationed in front of 97 Peachtree Street SW. Melody communicates with Garraka in the middle of Peachtreet Street (0:45:20), standing in front of C&S Beauty Supply at 87 Peachtree Street SW. Phoebe and Melody walk and talk (1:14:31) before stopping outside Original Nails at 85 Peachtree Street SW. A fourth scene would have been filmed here (in front of the Fulton County Government Center at 100 Peachtree Street SW.), showing a crowd of New Yorkers watching the Sewer Dragon chase, but it was deleted.


BP - 1389 Highway 29 S, Newnan - In a mid-credits scene, a bunch of mischievous Mini Pufts hijack a semi truck while its driver steps out to grab a treat from a vending machine (1:48:18). The scene was filmed at the back of the BP gas station and truck stop, which is right next to a McDonald's (whose signage is semi-glimpsed in the film).


Although that New York list is quite long, The United Kingdom is where most of the movie was filmed. The crew made use of several studios, namely Winnersh Film Studios (1020 Eskdale Road, Winnersh, Wokingham), Shinfield Studios (South Avenue, Shinfield, Reading), and Farnborough Film Studios (Studio Gate F, Aerospace Boulevard, Farnborough). As for what was filmed at each studio...

• Winnersh - Manhattan Adventurers Society frozen room, Paranormal Research Center interiors, Melody Diner interior and exterior with actors, New York Public Library exterior with actors, Firehouse (basement, second & third floors, Slimer blue-screen filming, some roof scenes).
• Shinfield - Ray's Occult, Firehouse ground floor, Firehouse basement.
• Farnborough - Firehouse attic, Nadeem's Apartment.

Not everything filmed in the UK was from the safe confines of private studio space. The cast and crew got out and about.


Tring Park School for the Performing Arts - Mansion Drive, Tring, Hertfordshire - The Manhattan Adventures Society exterior and lobby/staircase (0:01:46). The frozen room is a set.


London Underground Ltd Headquarters/St James's Park Underground Station - 55 Broadway, London - The Mayor's Office interior (0:09:45) and the Police Station interior & stairway (1:05:09).


Russell Square Park - Russell Square, London - Phoebe plays chess with Melody (0:24:38). Although depicted as Washington Square Park, the actual chess playing was done in this London park.


The Rothschild Library at the Natural History Museum at Tring - Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire - The New York Public Library's "archives room", where Hubert tells the tale of Garraka (0:58:00), is actually The Rothschild Library at this museum.


The London Library - 14 St James's Square, London - The New York Public Library's reading room & stacks, through which the gang chases Baggie (1:02:42).


KPMG Canary Wharf - 15 Canada Square, London - As ghosts are released from the containment unit by Garraka, a few fly past New Yorkers on a frozen street (1:37:24). Filming took place on June 1, 2023, as per first-hand reports on Twitter by NickAlive and Grace.

Well, that's it. Pretty much everything has been identified, which makes this a near-complete list. Hopefully it is helpful to those of you who like to visit movie filming locations.

• SPOOK CENTRAL VIP BONUS FEATURE: 2,500 Blu-ray 1920x802 framegrabs from the entire movie.

If you still have not bought Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on physical disc (so that you can actually own it), Amazon has it on Standard 4K+Blu-ray, Steelbook 4K+Blu-ray (Parkas & Gear), Blu-ray+DVD, and DVD.

There are also sets containing Afterlife and Frozen Empire: 4K+Blu-ray with Ice Mold, Blu-ray, and DVD.

Finally, Walmart has a few exclusives: Steelbook Blu-ray+DVD (Pop Art Style), and 4K+Blu-Ray with Skateboard.

All of the awesome and beautiful location title images were designed by Yayimage (New York), Dancing Daisy Crafts (Georgia), and Qwik Graphics (United Kingdom). They all did an excellent job, so check out their sites for more of their work. Highly recommended.