HBO is bringing a new dark comedy to television with “DTF St. Louis,” a seven-episode limited series starring Jason Bateman and David Harbour. The show premieres on Sunday, March 1, at 8 p.m. CT on HBO and will also be available for streaming on Max. New episodes will air weekly, with the finale scheduled for Sunday, April 12.
While the series takes place in Missouri, fans curious about where the show was actually filmed might be surprised to learn that production never happened in St. Louis. Here is a detailed look at the real filming locations behind the upcoming HBO series.
The Show’s Missouri Premise
“DTF St. Louis” is described as a dark comedy about a love triangle between three adults experiencing middle-age malaise that leads to one of them ending up dead. The story centers on characters played by Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini.
The title refers to a fictional sex app called “DTF St. Louis”—with DTF standing for “down to f**k”—that characters in the show use. Harbour’s character Floyd ends up dead, and the story explores whether Bateman’s character Clark, who is having an affair with Floyd’s wife Carol played by Cardellini, might be involved.
The series also stars Richard Jenkins, Joy Sunday from “Wednesday,” Arlan Ruf, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chris Perfetti from “Abbott Elementary.” Steven Conrad, who created the Amazon Prime series “Patriot,” serves as showrunner, writer, director, and executive producer .
Where Was ‘DTF St. Louis’ Actually Filmed?
Despite its St. Louis setting, “DTF St. Louis” was not filmed in Missouri. The production took place entirely in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas .
This continues a pattern for lead actor Jason Bateman, whose previous Missouri-set series “Ozark” was also filmed in Georgia rather than in the Ozarks region where the show took place. David Harbour is also very familiar with filming in Georgia, having spent years shooting “Stranger Things” in the Atlanta area .
Primary Production Hub: Electric Owl Studios
The series was based out of Electric Owl Studios in Atlanta. Filming began in February 2025 and continued through May 2025. Electric Owl Studios has become a major production hub in Georgia, recently hosting other high-profile projects including the “Naked Gun” reboot starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, and the J.J. Abrams thriller “Flowervale Street” starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor .
Specific Georgia Filming Locations
The official trailer for “DTF St. Louis,” released in late January 2026, revealed several recognizable Georgia locations that served as stand-ins for Missouri settings .
Stoney J’s Winery in Cumming, Georgia appears prominently in the series. Located about 40 minutes north of Atlanta, this winery provides the backdrop for several scenes in the show. The trailer shows interior scenes featuring Jason Bateman and David Harbour at this location .
Cauley Creek Park in Johns Creek, Georgia is another key filming location visible in the trailer. This park appears in outdoor sequences that establish the calm, everyday suburban setting before the story takes darker turns .
In late May 2025, residents spotted Jason Bateman and David Harbour filming scenes in the parking lot of Dunwoody Village, an open-air shopping center in Dunwoody, Georgia. This location shoot confirms that the production utilized various metro Atlanta areas beyond the primary studio facilities .
Why Georgia Stands in for the Midwest
Georgia has long served as a filming location for stories set in the American Midwest, thanks to the state’s generous film tax incentives, variety of locations, and skilled crew base. Both Bateman and Harbour have extensive experience working in the state .
Bateman previously anchored Netflix’s “Ozark” (2017–2022), another Missouri-set story that was largely filmed in Georgia. Harbour spent years shooting in the state on “Stranger Things,” as well as Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” and other projects. The Atlanta area offers production companies the ability to find locations that can convincingly stand in for various parts of the country while maintaining the infrastructure needed for television production .
The Cast’s Connection to Georgia
The lead actors’ familiarity with Georgia filming likely contributed to the decision to produce the series there. Harbour has worked extensively in Georgia throughout his time on “Stranger Things,” which films primarily in the Atlanta area. Bateman’s previous Georgia-based work on “Ozark” meant he was comfortable with the local production community .
Linda Cardellini, who plays the pivotal role of Carol, also has Georgia filming experience. She starred in the Netflix series “Dead to Me” (2019–2022), which filmed in California, but has worked on various projects in the state throughout her career .
Release Information for Global Audiences
“DTF St. Louis” will be available on multiple platforms and in various regions. Here is the release information for viewers around the world:
United States: The series premieres on Sunday, March 1, at 8 p.m. CT (9 p.m. ET) on the HBO cable channel. It will also be available for streaming on Max starting the same day. New episodes release weekly on Sundays .
United Kingdom: Viewers can watch the series on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW, with episodes typically available the day after the US premiere.
Canada: The show will be available on Crave, which has a licensing agreement with HBO for original content.
Australia: Binge and Foxtel will carry the series, with episodes usually available shortly after the US broadcast.
India: JioCinema holds streaming rights for HBO content in India and will carry the series.
The show consists of seven episodes in total. The series finale will air on Sunday, April 12, at 7 p.m. CT on HBO .
From True Crime Inspiration to Original Story
The series has an interesting development history. It was originally inspired by James Lasdun’s New Yorker article titled “My Dentist’s Murder Trial: Adultery, False Identities, and a Lethal Sedation.” The project initially had that same title as a working title and was conceived as a true-crime drama focused on Dr. Gilberto Nunez, a Kingston, New York dentist accused of murdering his friend .
When first announced in 2022, the project had David Harbour and Pedro Pascal attached to star. However, by October 2024, Pascal was no longer involved, and the creative direction had evolved into a wholly original idea with no connection to the original article. Jason Bateman joined as both an executive producer through his Aggregate Films banner and as a cast member .
The series maintained its dark, provocative tone through this evolution, ultimately becoming the story about suburban adults and a dating app that will premiere in March.
Trailer Insights and Fan Reactions
The official trailer for “DTF St. Louis” released in late January 2026 and quickly generated buzz online. The trailer opens with Harbour’s dead body on the ground, establishing the murder mystery at the heart of the series. It then shows Bateman’s character introducing Harbour’s character to the “DTF St. Louis” app .
The trailer also includes a memorable moment where Bateman’s character shares a sexual fantasy with Cardellini’s character, telling her: “I would like for you to go about your business—do tasks on your phone—while you sit on my face.” This moment has been widely discussed on social media platforms including Twitter/X and Reddit, where users are reacting to the show’s darkly comedic and uncomfortable tone.
On Reddit’s television discussion forums, users have noted the irony that another Missouri-set show starring Jason Bateman is filming in Georgia instead of the state where it takes place. Some St. Louis-area residents have expressed disappointment that the production didn’t film on location, while others understand the practical reasons for choosing Atlanta as a production hub.
Industry observers point out that the show represents another major streaming project for both Bateman and Harbour, who continue to be in high demand following the conclusions of their previous hit series—”Ozark” for Bateman and the upcoming final season of “Stranger Things” for Harbour.
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Technical Production Details
The series was produced by MGM Television and involves multiple production companies. Executive producers include Steven Conrad, Jason Bateman, David Harbour, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch for Escape Artists, Molly Allen, Bruce Terris, Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films, Kristina Wenson for Bravo Axolotl, and James Lasdun .
During production, the project used working titles including “SL” and “DSL.” Background casting was handled by Rose Locke/CL Casting, a well-known casting company that works on many Georgia-based productions .
For viewers interested in the technical aspects of the production, the series was shot on location in Georgia with a mix of studio work at Electric Owl Studios and exterior filming at the identified locations in Cumming, Johns Creek, and Dunwoody.
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