Netflix's current number one film, Apex, is a nail-biting cat-and-mouse thriller that pits an adventurous rock climber against an unhinged hunter. Starring Charlize Theron as Sasha and Taron Egerton as her pursuer Ben, this white-knuckle ride has proven a hit among subscribers. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, Apex is set in the Australian wilderness, which presents Sasha with a gauntlet of dangerous terrain as she tries to outrun her biggest threat. But was the film actually shot in the Australian outback? Let's explore the confirmed filming locations for this must-watch streaming thriller.
Where Was Apex Filmed?
The new Netflix film was indeed shot entirely in Australia, with filming taking place in Sydney and New South Wales during spring of last year. To bring rugged authenticity to the production, much of the action occurs in the Blue Mountains World Heritage-listed National Park, a 90-minute drive from Sydney. One particularly breathtaking location is the Grand Canyon walking track, which provides stunning views of the lush, mountainous landscape.
Key Locations in New South Wales
- Blue Mountains National Park: The primary setting for many outdoor scenes, offering dramatic cliffs and forests.
- Bowning: A historic town near the Murray River with a population of less than 1,000, where Sasha first encounters Ben.
- The Needles: A remote wild swimming hole on the Woronora River, used for canoeing sequences where Sasha almost gets ensnared.
- Ginninderra Falls: Located by the border of the Australian Capital Territory, this spectacular waterfall drops more than 60 metres into a deep gorge. It is where Sasha performs a dizzying cliff jump, though it is currently closed to the public.
Director Kormákur explained that shooting on location in Australia was the only way to make this ambitious thriller work. He stated, "For a film like Apex — where the elements and the terrain are characters that loom just as large as the movie stars battling in it — no other country in the world could have taken the place of Australia as our primary location." He also thanked the people of New South Wales, the NSW government, and the Australian Government's Location Offset for their support.
Apex is available to stream on Netflix.
