7 international movies and TV shows that were filmed in Singapore

As the first major Hollywood film set and filmed almost entirely in Singapore, it’s no surprise that Crazy Rich Asians comes in first on our list. The film features a bevy of local attractions – such as Newton Hawker Centre, Raffles Hotel, Changi Airport, and Marina Bay Sands – that Nick and Rachel hit up on their trip. CHIJMES and Gardens by the Bay also play a starring role in the scenes depicting Araminta and Colin’s wedding, while the Merlion Park acts as the backdrop for Nick’s first proposal.

Westworld differentiates itself from the other films and TV shows on the list by going beyond the usual suspects and featuring lesser known locations in Singapore. Scenes from the third season of the sci-fi series were filmed at Lasalle College of the Arts, National Gallery, Marina One, Atlas Bar, Parkroyal Pickering, the Helix Bridge, Stadium MRT station, and even Pulau Ubin (pictured here). We’ve gotta hand it to Westworld’s location scout – they really did their homework when researching places to film in Singapore.

The Korean drama made news last year when the production team filmed a dramatic – and highly realistic – car crash in the middle of the CBD. In addition to the usual shots of the Singapore skyline, landmarks like Gardens by the Bay, MBS, and the Fullerton Hotel (where most of the action takes place) also feature prominently in the TV show, which also sees Oh In Joo venture to places such as Corals at Keppel Bay, Boat Quay, and Changi Airport.

Singapore is also depicted (albeit in cartoon form) in this Japanese anime film, which wowed Singaporeans with its detailed depictions of Singapore’s landmarks. Among the locations rendered in the film are Singapore’s skyline, Maxwell Hawker Centre, the MBS infinity pool, and the Fountain of Wealth in Suntec City. Locations aren’t all that are featured – local dishes like chicken rice and kaya toast, and even a police car (accurate down to the licence plate) are also shown in the film.

Singapore’s modern architecture plays a starring role in the dystopian film. Henderson Waves, Marina Barrage, Reflections at Keppel Bay, and even one-north MRT station served as suitably futuristic backdrops for the 2016 film, which stars A-listers like Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult.

Rated a dismal 8 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is widely considered a critical flop. Nevertheless, it was one of the first few Hollywood movies filmed in Singapore. The film, which stars Rupert Friend and Zachary Quinto, features a car chase scene along several roads in the CBD, including Robinson Road and McCallum Street. Changi’s Terminal 3 and ITE Central’s airplane hangar are also seen in the film.

Though it was actually never filmed here (most scenes were filmed in Bangkok and Hong Kong), a small part of Wong Kar Wai’s critically-acclaimed classic is set in Singapore. The slow-burning romance between Su and Chow finds its way to our island nation after Chow finds a job in Singapore – represented in the film by coconut trees, rattan chairs, and batik shirts – and asks Su to join him.