Bryan Bertino, the mastermind behind The Strangers, returns with another psychological nightmare that’ll keep you up at night. Vicious, starring Dakota Fanning in a career-defining performance, hit Paramount+ and digital platforms on October 10, 2025, after a spine-chilling premiere at Fantastic Fest. But what makes this horror film so unsettling isn’t just the story—it’s where it was filmed.
Where Was Vicious Ottawa: The Perfect Canvas for Terror
Vicious was filmed entirely in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, transforming the Canadian capital into a landscape of dread and isolation. Production ran from March 22 to May 10, 2024, capturing nearly seven weeks of intense psychological horror. The choice of Ottawa wasn’t random—the city’s blend of ordinary suburban neighborhoods and grey spring weather created an atmosphere of “weird normality” that perfectly serves the film’s themes.
Unlike typical horror productions that rely heavily on studio sets, Bertino’s team embraced Ottawa’s residential areas, using real locations to ground the terror in reality. The cramped interiors and familiar suburban settings make the horror feel uncomfortably close to home, amplifying the film’s psychological impact.
Production Details at a Glance
| Production Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Filming Location | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Production Start | March 22, 2024 |
| Production End | May 10, 2024 |
| Production Duration | 7 weeks |
| Production Company | Atlas Entertainment |
| Festival Premiere | Fantastic Fest (September 19, 2025) |
| Digital Release | October 10, 2025 (Paramount+) |
Why Ottawa Works for Horror
Ottawa’s unique aesthetic proved invaluable for Vicious. The city offered exactly what Bertino needed: ordinary-looking homes that could become prisons of psychological torment. The residential areas provided that suffocating familiarity—places that look safe but harbor unspeakable darkness.
The grey, overcast spring weather during filming added another layer of unease. There’s something inherently unsettling about homes that should feel warm and inviting instead appearing cold and isolated. This contrast is central to the film’s effectiveness, and Ottawa delivered it naturally.
The Intimate Production Approach
Atlas Entertainment kept the production entirely within Canada, avoiding extensive studio work in favor of controlled interiors that replicate the claustrophobic environments central to the story. This grounded approach allows audiences to connect more viscerally with protagonist Polly’s nightmare.
Post-production continued into late 2024, with Bertino meticulously crafting the film’s tight pacing and sound design—elements that transform ordinary locations into stages for supernatural horror. For fans of psychological horror films, this attention to atmospheric detail sets Vicious apart from jump-scare-heavy competitors.
A Story That Demands This Setting
The plot follows Polly (Dakota Fanning), whose life unravels after a mysterious old woman leaves her with a cursed wooden box containing an hourglass. As the timer runs down, Polly must confront her deepest traumas within the confines of her own home. The setting becomes as much a character as the actors themselves—a familiar space twisted into a labyrinth of nightmares.
Ottawa’s suburban architecture perfectly captures this transformation. What begins as a recognizable home gradually becomes alien and threatening, mirroring Polly’s psychological deterioration. According to Paramount Pictures, this intimate, location-driven approach was essential to the film’s vision.
From Festival Darling to Digital Release
Originally slated for theatrical distribution, Vicious pivoted to a digital-first strategy following its acclaimed Fantastic Fest premiere. This shift actually benefits the film—its intimate horror plays powerfully on smaller screens in darkened living rooms, bringing the terror closer to viewers.
For more insights into upcoming horror releases and behind-the-scenes production stories, Ottawa’s rising profile as a horror filming destination deserves attention. The city’s versatility and production-friendly environment make it increasingly attractive for genre filmmakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why was Ottawa chosen as the filming location for Vicious?
Ottawa provided the ideal combination of ordinary suburban landscapes and grey, overcast weather that creates an unsettling atmosphere. The city’s residential areas offered authentic locations that could be transformed into claustrophobic spaces perfect for psychological horror. Director Bryan Bertino specifically needed environments that felt familiar yet could become threatening, and Ottawa delivered exactly that aesthetic.
Q: Was Vicious filmed on studio sets or real locations?
The production primarily used real locations throughout Ottawa rather than extensive studio sets. While some controlled interiors were constructed to achieve specific cramped, suffocating atmospheres, the film largely relied on actual residential areas to ground the horror in reality. This location-based approach enhances the film’s psychological impact by making the terror feel more immediate and believable.
