40 Feature Films Shot in Alberta Since 1987

1. The Adventure Club (2016)

A family-friendly feature that showcases Alberta’s outdoor scenery as part of its treasure-hunting plot.

2. Alpha (2018)

Partially filmed in Alberta, this prehistoric tale leans into the province’s rugged look for its ancient setting.

3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

This Western used Fort Edmonton Park and historic Alberta settings to evoke frontier America at the turn of the century.

4. Borealis (2013)

A road-trip dramedy starring Jonas Chernick and Joey King, Borealis was filmed in and around Calgary and rural Alberta highways. The film uses Alberta’s expansive roads and prairies to mirror themes of distance, regret, and reconnection – showcasing the province’s cinematic capacity for both intimacy and scale.

5. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

While set in Wyoming, this iconic romance was filmed almost entirely in southern Alberta’s Canadian Rockies, including Canmore, Elbow Falls, and Moose Mountain , beautifully capturing rugged, windswept hills and valleys.

6. Cold Pursuit (2019)

Liam Neeson’s action film used Kananaskis Village and Spray Valley, turning Alberta’s snowy mountain towns into a fictional Colorado setting.

7. Cool Runnings (1993)

The beloved comedy about the Jamaican bobsled team was shot around Calgary, including Olympic facilities, rooting its story in Alberta’s winter sports legacy.

8. Cowboys Don’t Cry (1988)

This Western remains part of Alberta’s early film identity and historic Western legacy. The film was primarily shot on location in Pincher Creek, and features the Alberta foothills, often referred to as "big sky" country.

9. The Edge (1997)

Although set in Alaska, much of this survival thriller starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin was filmed in Canmore and the surrounding Rockies. Alberta’s wilderness convincingly stood in for the remote Alaskan backcountry.

10. Fargo (1996)

Though set in Minnesota and North Dakota, several scenes were filmed in Calgary and surrounding areas, where Alberta’s winter streets doubled for the American Midwest. The province’s snow reliability made it an ideal stand-in for the Coen Brothers’ icy crime drama.

11. FUBAR (2002)

A cult Canadian comedy shot in Calgary, beloved for its authentic local character and humour.

12. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Shot across Calgary, Drumheller, Fort Macleod, and the Badlands, this supernatural reboot used Alberta’s dramatic landscapes to represent the fictional Oklahoma-area town of Summerville –  a blend of quirky charm and cinematic spectacle.

13. Handsome Harry (2009)

Filmed in part in Alberta, this character-focused drama demonstrates the province’s ability to double for various North American settings – from small-town streets to quiet rural backdrops.

14. I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998)

Captured Alberta’s winter charm and small-town feel, making the holiday tale feel both cozy and cinematic.

15. Inception (2010)

Director Christopher Nolan chose Fortress Mountain for some of the film’s surreal snowbound dream sequences – turning Alberta landscapes into iconic sci-fi cinema moments.

16. Interstellar (2014)

This epic sci-fi film used southern Alberta towns and rural expanses (Okotoks, Longview, Lethbridge) to stand in for a dust-storm ravaged Earth.

17. Jack Frost (1998)

A family comedy that used Alberta communities to lend its icy, snowbound settings.

18. Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Alberta’s snowy backdrops,  including Fortress Mountain, provided a dramatic landscape for the adventurous second chapter of the rebooted franchise.

19. Land (2021)

Using Moose Mountain and Kananaskis, this survival drama frames personal resilience against Alberta’s raw terrain.

20. Legends of the Fall (1994)

Shot around Bow Valley and near Morley, this sweeping family drama highlights Alberta’s rich, cinematic mountain and river scenery.

21. Let Him Go (2020)

Starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, this emotional Western drama was shot around Drumheller, Fort Macleod, and Didsbury, with the wide-open landscapes standing in for the Great Plains.

22. Mystery, Alaska (1999)

Though set in a fictional small town in Alaska, Mystery, Alaska was filmed in and around Canmore and the Canadian Rockies, with Alberta’s snow-covered peaks and frozen landscapes standing convincingly for the remote North.

23. The Northlander (2016)

An ambitious sci-fi adventure filmed entirely in Alberta, blending Indigenous cultural themes with post-apocalyptic landscapes.

24. Open Range (2003)

Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, Open Range used Alberta’s sweeping prairies and foothills to authentically recreate the 19th-century American frontier. The province’s vast skies, untouched grasslands, and cinematic scale made it an ideal backdrop for this modern Western, reinforcing Alberta’s long-standing reputation as one of North America’s premier destinations for period productions and large-scale outdoor shoots.

25. Passchendaele (2008)

Helmed by Paul Gross, Passchendaele transformed Alberta farmland into the muddy trench systems of World War I Europe, demonstrating the province’s remarkable geographic versatility. As one of Canada’s most ambitious war films, it showcased Alberta’s capacity to support large-scale historical builds while anchoring a nationally significant story with local crews and infrastructure.

26. Prey (2022)

Filmed around Stoney Nakoda First Nation land and Moose Mountain, this action-thriller uses Alberta wilderness as its central hunting ground for a new chapter of the Predator franchise.

27. Rat Race (2001)

Though set across the American Southwest, portions of Rat Race – starring Rowan Atkinson and John Cleese – were filmed in Alberta, where expansive highways and Badlands terrain convincingly doubled for desert landscapes. The production highlighted Alberta’s ability to stand in for U.S. locations while offering the logistical advantages and experienced crews required for fast-paced, multi-location studio comedies.

28. Resurrecting the Champ (2007)

Filmed extensively in Calgary, Resurrecting the Champ, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Hartnett, used Alberta’s urban settings to double convincingly for American cities. The production showcased the province’s flexibility beyond its iconic landscapes, highlighting its ability to support character-driven dramas through accessible downtown cores, interior builds, and experienced local crews.

29. The Revenant (2015)

This Oscar-winning survival drama shot brutal wilderness sequences in Kananaskis Country, showcasing Alberta’s unforgiving winter landscape.

30. RV (2006)

Starring Robin Williams, RV brought its road-trip comedy to Alberta’s mountain corridors and campgrounds, using the province’s Rockies scenery to ground the story in authentic outdoor adventure. The production underscored Alberta’s strength in accommodating travel-heavy shoots that rely on accessible highways, tourism infrastructure, and cinematic natural landscapes.

31. Shanghai Noon (2000)

Filmed extensively in and around Drumheller and the Alberta Badlands, this action-comedy starring Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson used Alberta’s striking desert terrain to double for the American Old West. The hoodoos and wide-open plains once again proved Alberta’s versatility as a Western backdrop.

32. Snow Day (2000)

While set in upstate New York, portions of Snow Day were filmed in Calgary, where Alberta’s winter climate provided the perfect snow-covered suburban setting. The province’s reliability for winter conditions continues to make it attractive for cold-weather productions.

33. Striker's Mountain (1985)

An adventure feature that leans heavily into Alberta’s mountain terrain, this production reinforces the province’s reputation for high-impact outdoor cinematography.

34. Superman II (1980)

35. Superman III (1983)

All three Superman films brought the Man of Steel to Alberta (with the original in 1978 cementing the province as a cinematic stand-in for Americana and superhero mythology). Starring Christopher Reeve, Clark Kent’s childhood hometown of Smallville was recreated across rural southern Alberta, where wide-open prairie skies perfectly captured the spirit of small-town America.

The village of Barons (population roughly 343) hosted the iconic high school football scenes, while High River and the hamlet of Blackie stood in for key Smallville locations — including the Kent family farm. In Superman III, eagle-eyed viewers can spot the recognizable façade of Calgary’s historic St. Louis Hotel in the East Village.

36. The Thicket (2023)

This gritty Western thriller filmed on ranchlands near Calgary and Stoney Nakoda, making strong use of Alberta’s prairie vistas to evoke 19th-century Texas frontier terrain.

37. Togo (2019)

Disney’s sled-dog adventure journeyed through Kananaskis Country and Abraham Lake, capturing Alberta’s icy backcountry to represent Alaska’s treacherous terrain.

38. Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood’s award-winning Western recreated Wyoming on Alberta’s open plains near Longview and surrounding ranchlands.

39. Wild America (1997)

This family adventure film captured Alberta’s expansive outdoors for its cross-country wildlife journey. The province’s natural diversity – mountains, prairies, rivers – made it an ideal setting for a story rooted in exploration.

40. X2: X‑Men United (2003)

Several key sequences were filmed in Kananaskis Country and at the Barrier Lake Visitor Centre, which doubled as the exterior of the X-Mansion. Alberta’s dramatic Rocky Mountain landscapes added epic scale to the superhero sequel.