We Have a Ghost is based on a 2017 short novel by Geoff Manaugh – though director Christopher Landon created new parts, like the threat of the CIA – and mostly takes place in Chicago, Illinois, which has got some audiences wondering where it was filmed.
But the film is mainly shot just over 900 miles away, in the city of New Orleans in Louisiana and the surrounding area. The filming locations proved somewhat challenging for Landon and his crew as the film was shot in July 2021, during the height of summer.
In a press interview, Landon explained that:
“We shot the movie in the dead ass of summer in New Orleans, which anyone will tell you is crazy. You have actors you’re trying to keep dry who are standing outside, perspiring like crazy, their makeup is running — David’s crazy hairpiece is sliding off his head. And there’s lightning shutdowns that last for hours every day that eat away at your schedule.”
Where was We Have a Ghost filmed?
The Presley Family House
The Presley family home is created using several different elements. Two houses were used to develop the location, with the one used for exterior shots on the corner of Marengo and Daneel street in New Orleans. The team used the Roundtable Club, 6330 St. Charles Ave, for interior photos. However, the kitchen wasn’t part of this interior and was built on location for the crew. The attic, too, was done using a soundstage in a studio, and unfortunately, not a real attic.
The Round Table Club on 6330 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans (Image Courtesy of Roadtrippers)
Car Chase
The car chase sequence that’s part of the film is filmed in Donaldsonville, in Ascension Parish, a small city about an hour outside of New Orleans, Louisiana. How this district was transformed for the film was captured on video in this local CBS news piece.
CIA Office
The building in which the CIA is based is unfortunately not the actual CIA headquarters in Virginia, but it’s perhaps something even better. The crew used the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans to construct the office. Given the name of David Harbour’s ghost, it’s very appropriate.
Final Scene
The final, surprisingly emotional end scene of the film, where Ernest says his goodbyes in front of a gorgeous lakeshore with rugged mountains in the background, was shot on a blazing hot, dusty field in the middle of Louisiana, with the natural backdrop added by the VFX team in post-production.
While not nearly as glamorous as the background it depicts, it does showcase the magical ability of CGI to transport audiences to different locations.
What is We Have a Ghost about?
Frank Presley (played by Anthony Mackie) and his family discover that their house is haunted by a ghost called Ernest (played by David Harbour). They take the opportunity to become a social media sensation but attract attention from the CIA when Kevin (played by Jahi Di’Allo Winston) starts to dig into Ernest’s past.
Join the discussions readers – are there any filming locations you noticed in We Have a Ghost? Comment below.
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