In depth · Film
Toronto on film: from Scott Pilgrim to The Shape of Water
Toronto plays itself in a handful of films and stands in for other cities in many more. Six to watch before you go, with trailers only from the studios’ and distributors’ own channels; every September, TIFF brings the world’s films to King Street.
Updated November 2026
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Edgar Wright’s comic-book film is set in Toronto, its bands, bars and snowy streets among the city’s own.
Enemy (2013)
Denis Villeneuve’s psychological thriller, with Jake Gyllenhaal in a double role, is set among the towers and condominiums of Toronto.
Take This Waltz (2011)
Sarah Polley’s film, with Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen, is set in the streets of Toronto’s west end in summer.
Chicago (2002)
Rob Marshall’s musical was filmed in Toronto, which stands in for the Chicago of the 1920s.
Mean Girls (2004)
The high-school comedy was filmed in Toronto, standing in for suburban Illinois. We found no official trailer from the studio for the 2004 film, so none is shown.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Guillermo del Toro’s fable was filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, which stand in for Baltimore in the 1960s.
Questions and answers
Which films are set in Toronto?
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Enemy (2013) and Take This Waltz (2011) are set in the city; many more, such as Chicago and The Shape of Water, were filmed there.