The new Prime Video thriller 56 Days has finally arrived, bringing Catherine Ryan Howard’s best-selling novel to the screen with a fresh, suspenseful twist. Starring Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia, the eight-episode series dropped on February 18, 2026, and viewers are already hooked on its dark romance and murder mystery. But as you watch the story unfold in the bustling city of Boston, you might wonder—was it really shot there? Here is everything you need to know about where 56 Days was filmed and the real locations behind the series.
The Series Was Filmed in Montreal, Not Boston
While 56 Days is set in Boston, the production actually took place hundreds of miles away. The series was primarily filmed in Montreal, Canada, a popular hub for Hollywood productions thanks to its versatile architecture and generous tax incentives .
Filming began in June 2024 and took place across various locations in the city . Montreal has a long history of doubling for American cities, and here it transforms into the sleek, modern Boston where characters Oliver and Ciara’s toxic romance unfolds. The production team chose Montreal for its ability to mimic the look and feel of a major U.S. East Coast city without the higher costs and logistical challenges of shooting in Boston itself.
Why Montreal Stood in for Boston
Montreal offers production companies something valuable—streets that can look American with minor adjustments. The city’s mix of historic architecture and contemporary high-rises makes it ideal for telling stories set in places like Boston, New York, or Chicago. For 56 Days, the production design team worked to capture Boston’s distinctive character while keeping the shooting process efficient.
According to reports, the series shifts the story from its original Dublin lockdown setting to present-day Boston, removing the pandemic context entirely . This change gives the show a more timeless quality and allows the focus to remain purely on the psychological battle between its two leads.
Oliver’s Luxury Apartment—A Key Location
One of the most important settings in 56 Days is Oliver’s apartment, where much of the action takes place. This is the location where detectives find a decomposed body in the bathtub, setting the entire mystery in motion. The apartment is described in reviews as a space of “minimalist luxury” that serves both as a romantic hideaway and a crime scene filled with foreboding potential .
The production design team turned ordinary items into extraordinary threats within this space . While the exact building used for filming hasn’t been publicly identified, it was almost certainly a location in or around Montreal dressed to look like a high-end Boston residence. The clean lines and modern aesthetic of the apartment reflect Oliver’s profession as a successful architect and create a stark contrast with the grisly discovery that drives the plot.
The Supermarket Where It All Began
The story kicks off with a chance encounter at a supermarket, where Oliver spots Ciara and sparks an immediate connection. This seemingly ordinary location becomes the foundation for everything that follows. For viewers, it’s a relatable setting—a place anyone might find themselves—which makes the ensuing chaos feel all the more unsettling.
The supermarket scenes were filmed on a set or at a location in Montreal designed to look like an upscale Boston grocery store. The production team paid attention to small details, from the products on the shelves to the lighting, to make the space feel authentic and familiar.
Boston’s Backdrop Without the Pandemic Context
The decision to move the story to Boston came with some creative changes. In the original novel, the lockdown played a major role in isolating the characters. The series removes this element entirely, relying instead on the characters’ secrets and psychological games to create tension .
Reviews note that the Boston setting adds “a sophisticated flair” but slightly reduces the urgency that the pandemic provided in the book . Still, the city’s backdrop gives the series a polished, contemporary feel that suits its erotic thriller tone.
The Investigation Plays Out on Montreal Streets
As detectives Lee Reardon (Karla Souza) and Karl Connolly (Dorian Missick) work to solve the case, they move through various city locations. These scenes were filmed on Montreal streets dressed to pass as Boston. The production team likely used a combination of backlot shoots and on-location filming in neighborhoods that could convincingly double for the American city.
Souza’s performance has been praised for bringing “grit and dark humor” to the procedural side of the story, grounding the more intense moments between the lead characters . The city itself becomes a character of sorts, providing the backdrop for the investigation that pieces together what happened over those 56 days.
What Critics Say About the Show’s Look
Reviews for 56 Days have highlighted the show’s visual style. Critics describe it as “stylishly executed” with a “minimalist luxury” aesthetic that suits the story’s themes . The production design transforms ordinary settings into spaces loaded with tension.
Variety notes that the show captures “the frenzy of all-consuming lust and the chaos that arises in the wake of a blazing hot relationship” . The locations—from Ciara’s “modest, termite-infested studio apartment” to Oliver’s sleek high-rise—visually represent the gap between the characters and the secrets they keep from each other.
Streaming Details for Global Audiences
Now that 56 Days has premiered on February 18, 2026, viewers around the world can watch all eight episodes on Prime Video . The series is available in over 240 countries and territories, making it accessible to a massive global audience .
For viewers in the United States, the show dropped early on February 18. UK audiences can stream it the same day on Prime Video. In Canada, where the series was actually filmed, viewers can watch it alongside the rest of the world. India and Australia also have access starting February 18, with subtitles available in multiple languages .
The Cast Behind the Characters
The filming locations may be in Montreal, but the cast brings the story to life from wherever they were on set. Dove Cameron leads the cast as Ciara Wyse, a woman with hidden motives who may not be as innocent as she first appears. Avan Jogia plays Oliver Kennedy, an architect whose anxiety and secrets make him an unreliable narrator of his own life .
Supporting cast members include Karla Souza as Detective Lee Reardon, Dorian Missick as Detective Karl Connolly, Megan Peta Hill as Ciara’s sister Shyla, and Jesse James Keitel in a key role . The ensemble filmed their scenes in Montreal throughout the summer of 2024, with production wrapping well ahead of the 2026 release date.
The Creative Team Behind the Scenes
56 Days comes from creators Lisa Zwerling and Karyn Usher, who wrote and executive produced the series . The project also benefits from the involvement of horror master James Wan, whose company Atomic Monster produced the series alongside Amazon MGM Studios .
Wan’s influence likely contributed to the show’s darker moments and its ability to maintain suspense throughout the eight-episode run. The production values reflect the backing of major studios, with the Montreal locations dressed and shot to look far more expensive than they probably were.
What to Know Before You Watch
If you’re planning to binge 56 Days this week, keep in mind that the show jumps between timelines. One thread follows the investigation in the present day, while the other traces the 56-day relationship between Oliver and Ciara from the beginning .
The series has been described as meeting its erotic expectations while sometimes falling short on the thriller side . Still, the performances—particularly from Cameron and Jogia—have drawn praise for capturing the toxic chemistry between two people who might be lying to each other, and to themselves.
Also Read: Where to Watch 56 Days? Prime Video’s New Thriller Series is Now Streaming
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