Filming in Vancouver: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Eric McCormack, The Arrangement, and more

In this week’s roundup of what’s shooting in Vancouver, a bunch of TV series that shot their pilots here a few months back are now kicking off production on their inaugural seasons.

But first up, there’s a big-name Hollywood star shooting a feature film in town—and this city is where he first began his rapid ascent to fame.

The dramedy Richard Says Goodbyestarts shooting on Tuesday (July 25) and continues until August 25.

Directed by Wayne Roberts, it stars Johnny Depp as a college professor who abruptly shifts gears after receiving a terminal-illness diagnosis. Instead of playing it safe, he starts to live life with complete abandon, indulging in sex, drugs, and verbal rock ’n’ roll.

Zoey Deutch (Before I Fall) will play one of the professor’s students.

Here’s a fun fact: Depp’s career launched here in Vancouver when he starred on the TV police drama series 21 Jump Street (which was later adapted for the big screen) in the late 1980s.

That series was one of the first few U.S. TV series shot in Vancouver that helped to solidify the city’s reputation as a major film production centre in North America, eventually garnering the nickname Hollywood North.

Meanwhile, a fictional TV series that appears to be drawn from real-life Hollywood headlines starts up again after shooting its first season here.

The drama series The Arrangement starts shooting Season 2 on Tuesday (July 24) and will continue until November 3.

Christine Evangelista (Chicago Fire) plays up-and-coming actor Megan Morrison who auditions for the lead in a blockbuster with Hollywood top-gun Kyle West (Josh Henderson).

Megan is then presented with a contract that will change not only her career but her life as well—she’s offered a $10-million contract to marry West.

But all that glitters is not always gold. West’s best friend and mentor leads the mysterious Institute of the Higher Mind, which may turn the deal into some risky business for Megan. What price will she pay for fame and fortune?

The premise appears to resemble reports and rumours about the lives of certain Hollywood stars. But whether it is or not, that’s up for you to decide.

In other screen news, few TV series that shot their pilot here earlier this year were greenlit to shoot their first seasons.

The sci-fi series The Crossing shoots Season 1 from Tuesday (July 25) to November 24. (The pilot was shot here in March.)

The town of Port Canaan, Washington, soon begins receiving an incoming wave of over 500 refugees from a war-ravaged country. They soon discover from the 47 refugees who survive that they are actually from the U.S.—but 250 years in the future.

The cast includes Steve Zahn, Natalie Martinez, Sandrine Holt, Rick Gomez, and more.

Another series that shot its pilot in March was The Good Doctor.

The series is now launching into filming Season 1, starting on Wednesday (July 26) and continuing until December 5.

This adaptation of a South Korean TV series stars Freddie Highmore (who also stars in the Vancouver-shot Bates Motel) as a brilliant surgeon with autism who works at a pediatric surgical unit.

The cast includes Antonia Thomas, Nicholas Gonzalez, Chuku Modu, Beau Garrett, Hill Harper, and Richard Schiff.

Meanwhile, things kick off on a creepy note starting today (July 24), with the horror-thriller TV series The Exorcist beginning to shoot Season 2 until November 14.

The production relocated to Vancouver from Chicago, where it shot its first season.

The series is a sequel to the 1973 horror film of the same name. It follows three priests attempting to help a family and a foster home contending with the arrival of a demon.

The cast includes Alfonso Herrera, Ben Daniels, Kurt Egyiawan, Hannah Kasulka, and Geena Davis.

While all those shows get underway, the sci-fi TV series Travelers will be wrapping up production on Season 2 on Friday (July 28).

The show started filming back on March 27.

It follows special operatives sent from the future who take over the consciousness of individuals in present-day just before their death. Although they’re on missions to prevent disastrous events from happening, their actions wind affecting the present and future in unexpected ways.

The cast includes Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper, Jared Abrahamson, Reilly Dolman, and Patrick Gilmore.

(As a side note, Canadian star McCormack, who divides his time between Vancouver and L.A., will be starring on the revival of the L.A.–shot TV comedy series Will & Grace which is set to premiere on September 28.)

That’s all for this week, but there’s plenty more coming up in the weeks ahead so check back in with us next time for more of what’s filming here in Hollywood North.