Nobody in their right mind would want to attend Godolkin University. The college campus at the center of The Boys spinoff Gen V is home to exploding superheroes, cocksplosions, and a nasty, mysterious facility known as The Woods. The good news is that Godolkin University isn’t real… But the sets are very much from a real university. So where was Gen V filmed? What are the Gen V filming locations?
Great question, imaginary person! And luckily, we have all your answers readily available. Though you won’t find the Gen V cast on campus — they wrapped filming back in September 2022 — here’s what you need to know about the real God U.
Where Was Gen V Filmed? Gen V Filming Locations:
Gen V was filmed over the course of four months in Toronto, Canada. Actress London Thor, who plays Jordan Li on the show, confirmed the timeline via the series’s press notes, saying, “We’ve been stranded in Toronto for four months.” Though presumably, she was saying that with love in her voice.
In the series, Godolkin University is within driving distance of Vought Tower, which is in New York City. The exact location of the college isn’t specified in the series. Most likely it’s in Westchester, as the whole concept of Gen V is a light parody of Marvel’s X-Men. And the X-Men, if you don’t know, traditionally have a school in Westchester.
Anyway, the real campus is nowhere near Westchester, but it is a real campus!
Where Is The Real Godolkin University?
Godolkin is actually an amalgamation of a few different campuses. According to Narcity Toronto, the University of Toronto Mississauga campus is the home of the Godolkin School of Crimefighting, aka the place Marie (Jaz Sinclair) desperately wants to study at. Specifically, the 210,000 square foot, 6-story tall home of Humanities and Sciences known as the Maanjiwe nendamowinan building.
Also on the campus, Mississauga’s Theatre Erindale was the home of Bourke’s (PJ Byrne) extremely sad acting class in Episode 2, “First Day.”
The rest of the God U campus is in a number of places, including University of Toronto’s St. George campus, Massey College, and Victoria University. You can recognize a number of spots from the latter in particular, including the picnic table where Emma (Lizze Broadway) tried to bond with her frenemy in Episode 2. Most notably, Victoria is home to the plaza of statues of Supes, including the one of Polarity where Andre (Chance Perdomo) ripped open his dad’s crotch to find Golden Boy’s (Patrick Schwarzenegger) phone.
Last but not least, if you want to head to the location where Golden Boy ripped off a dude’s arms in the first episode, “God U,” then you’ll want to check out Sobeys Stadium. Located at the north end of Toronto, Sobeys is not part of a college campus. But it is home to tennis, and the National Bank Open.
What About Non-College Locations On Gen V? Where Was The Rest Of Gen V Filmed?
First depicted on The Boys, the Sage Grove Center in Philadelphia, as seen holding Sam (Asa Germann) in Episode 3, “#THINKBRINK,” is actually the Southwest Center for Forensic Mental Health Care in St. Thomas. One would assume that this real health facility isn’t quite as fascistic as its TV counterpart.
A little non-specific here, but the outside scenes taking place in the woods — lower-case, not the facility — were filmed at Brampton’s Claireville Conservation Area. You can hike the woods in this area in real life. And in fake life the location has been spotted throughout the series, including — spoiler — an upcoming scene featuring Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy.
What about the capital letter The Woods? TBD, though presumably given none of this seems to have been filmed on soundstages, it’s a real location, as well.
One last one! The drive-in movie theater that Emma and Sam hang out in is an actual drive-in movie theater located 45 minutes away from Toronto. In fact, the Stardust Drive-In Movie Theater is currently open and operational. It is showing The Nun II, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, and Blue Beetle, among many others. And maybe Jason Ritter’s naughty puppet show? One can only hope.
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