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where did they film war machine

They filmed the new War Machine (2026) mostly in Australia’s Victoria state and in New Zealand, with key work based around Melbourne and the high‑country wilderness, plus several major locations in New Zealand’s South Island.

Main filming locations

  • Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – Used as the production base, with city streets (including Oakleigh) dressed for action scenes and interiors.
  • Docklands Studios Melbourne – Hosted large sound stages for the more controlled sci‑fi and stunt sequences.
  • Bright, Victoria – Mountain and bushland terrain used for intense outdoor training, survival, and pursuit scenes.
  • Myrtleford, Victoria – Nearby rural and forest areas doubled as remote training and combat environments.
  • RAAF Base Williams, Laverton (Victoria) – Real Royal Australian Air Force base used for military headquarters, briefings, and training facilities.
  • Oakleigh, Melbourne suburb – Street sequences and on‑location action work.
  • Queenstown & wider Otago region, New Zealand – Big outdoor set‑pieces shot amid lakes, mountains and canyons, including sections of the Kawarau River and nearby towns like Wanaka and Kingston.

Quick HTML table of key spots

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Region Specific location How it was used
Victoria, Australia Melbourne & Docklands Studios Base of production, interiors, controlled sci‑fi sets, some city exteriors.
Victoria, Australia Bright High‑country survival and selection‑course sequences.
Victoria, Australia Myrtleford Forest and valley wilderness training scenes.
Victoria, Australia RAAF Base Williams, Laverton Operational HQ, military base interiors and exteriors.
Victoria, Australia Oakleigh suburb On‑street action and neighborhood sequences.
South Island, New Zealand Queenstown & Kawarau River Large‑scale outdoor action and river set‑pieces.
South Island, New Zealand Wanaka / Kingston / surrounds Remote lakes, valleys and climactic wilderness scenes.

Quick context and “why these places?”

  • The Victorian High Country gives the movie its brutal training‑course energy: steep climbs, dense bush, and real‑world weather sell the “hardest 24 hours” premise.
  • Melbourne’s Docklands lets them build the more otherworldly sets and run complex stunts without leaving the city, which keeps costs and logistics in check.
  • Queenstown/Otago is a go‑to for big‑canvas action cinema, so those landscapes elevate the story from a standard boot‑camp drama into something more epic and sci‑fi‑tinged.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.