Tropical palm trees still line a section of Montreal’s iconic Village neighbourhood as production wraps up shooting on Ryan Reynolds’ latest film.
Ste-Catherine Street was transformed in a Southern California backdrop over the weekend. It was decorated with English signage and retro classic cars parked along the street.
The strip was taken back in time, recreating the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter in the 1980s for Reynolds’ newest project.
Spotted in multiple social media posts wearing a white Navy uniform strolling through the streets, the Deadpool star is getting a lot of fanfare online.
According to Acta Montreal, the kerfuffle has been kept under wraps and under the pseudonym of “Black Bird.”
Crews are actually filming the action-adventure movie Mayday, starring the Vancouver native alongside British star Kenneth Branagh. The plot and details of the script were kept close the vest.
The Skydance media production is being made in partnership with Apple film and Reynolds’ company, Maximum Effort.
Canadian locations for blockbuster films are often considered by Hollywood as they are a cheaper alternative than onsite shoots in the United States and overseas.
While crews were removing the sets Tuesday, merchants who work in the Village like Jorge Mendoza said he enjoyed experiencing a bit of movie magic seeing behind the curtain.
“It’s really nice to see the process,” Mendoza said. “How they transformed the Village into another place and back in time, it’s amazing.”
The movie is scheduled to wrap up filming Wednesday and is expected to hit the silver screen next year.
Locals will be able to enjoy the sight of palms trees, before they are moved by the end of the week.