Reel Steel NewsBeyond the Cinerama Dome is a Pittsburgh-based publication and Pittsburgh, if you didn’t know, is the Hollywood of Appalachia.*
*This is a nickname I have given to the city, but I’m expecting it will catch on soon.
New Apple TV+ Series Will Call Pittsburgh Home Until September
It’s not just big-screen productions that are calling Pittsburgh home for the summer, it’s also small-screen works that are using Western Pennsylvania tax credits to their advantage.
It’s not just big-screen productions that are calling Pittsburgh home for the summer, it’s also small-screen works that are using Western Pennsylvania tax credits to their advantage. One of Apple TV+’s upcoming series is now shooting in the Pittsburgh area.
This new series will be 10 episodes and is based on the internationally best-selling crime series Killer Instinct by Lars Kepler. The books have been translated into forty languages and sold more than fifteen million copies worldwide. Kepler is a pseudonym for the Swedish writing duo Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. The first book in the series follows detective Joona Linna, who enlists the help of a hypnotist to solve a triple murder.
While it’s unclear if the series will follow the plot of the first novel, it has been announced that Tony Award winner and Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominee Liev Schreiber will star as Jonah Lynn (likely an Americanized version of the original Swedish name). Jonah is an ex-soldier-turned-homicide-detective who has moved to Western Pennsylvania to escape the rough streets of Philadelphia. However, Western PA proves to be a different monster, as Jonah’s town and his family are in the crosshairs of a serial killer (Stephen Graham of Adolescence). Jonah enlists his adopted daughter, FBI Agent Saga Bauer (Zazie Beetz of Deadpool), to track down the serial killer.
courtesy of Apple TV+
It’s not the first time Pittsburgh has had a fictional serial killer in its midst. One of the most famous Western PA-shot films is Silence of the Lambs, which featured Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The house featured in Silence of the Lambs is located in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania, and most of the film was shot in Pittsburgh.
This project is predicted to bring 3,500 new jobs to the area and generate $108 million for Pennsylvania’s economy. There are also background and extra opportunities for the series. The casting department is looking for people of all ages to play a variety of roles in the series. Shooting is scheduled from mid-July to mid-December, and those interested are encouraged to submit a headshot.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Pennsylvania Film Office and the Shapiro Administration for their support of this project,” said Barry Jossen, President and Head of A+E Studios. “The production tax credit is not only instrumental in bringing our series to life, but also in generating meaningful economic opportunity throughout western Pennsylvania. We look forward to working with the talented local crews and showcasing the region’s dynamic landscapes and communities on-screen.”
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“How to Rob a Bank” Takes Pittsburgh by Storm
It’s shaping up to be a busy filmmaking summer in our little town. Hershey has already wrapped and another film production is moving in.
It’s shaping up to be a busy filmmaking summer in our little town. Hershey has already wrapped and another film production is moving in.
How to Rob a Bank is an Amazon MGM Studios production that will make Pittsburgh its home from June through September of 2025. Directed by David Leitch, the plot of the film is largely under wraps. The limited information available tells us that the heist will be done by a group of young people who gain internet fame by broadcasting their crimes online while avoiding the police.
Director David Leitch is quite at home in the world of action movies. He began his career as a stunt performer, and was a five-time stunt double for Brad Pitt and a two-time double for Jean-Claude Van Damme (sadly not for Van Damme’s Pittsburgh flick, Sudden Death). As a director, Leitch helmed the stunts-heavy Bullet Train, The Fall Guy, Deadpool 2, and others. Leitch’s filmography tells us we can expect How to Rob a Bank to follow a similar format, with high-flying stunts and see-it-to-believe action.
Ryan Gosling, David Leitch and stunt performer Logan Holladay on the set of The Fall Guy. Courtesy of Universal Studios
Making up the cast for How to Rob a Bank are Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu), Zoë Kravitz (Blink Twice), Anna Sawai (Shōgun), Pete Davidson (SNL), and Rhenzy Feliz (The Penguin). Davidson is the odd one out of the group. The rest all have a history, to various degrees, of action roles. It seems like Davidson will provide comic relief, and potentially a surprising stunt or two, for the film.
If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, How to Rob a Bank is looking for extras! The production is looking for folks who can join them for multiple days during the shoot. They’re asking for kids, teens, and adults of all ethnicities. These extras will portray a variety of Pittsburgh locals - sports fans, motor cross/e-bike/bicycle groups, SWAT/FBI/cop types, diner patrons, business types, and more. How to Rob a Bank wants to honor the diversity of the city and portray Pittsburgh accurately for Pittsburghers and non-locals alike.
The bulk of the filming will take place in downtown Pittsburgh. Most recently, production has shut down the 16th Street bridge for multiple overnight shoots. According to a document submitted by the production company to Allegheny County, How to Rob a Bank is estimated to bring 200 local jobs to the area. They also estimate the crew to spend over $1 million with local vendors, $700,000 in location rental fees, and more than $250,000 in catering costs, while booking 500 hotel room nights.
How to Rob a Bank is expected to be released on September 4, 2026.
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Beyond the Cinerama Dome is run by one perpetually tired film critic
and her anxious emotional support chihuahua named Frankie.
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Follow me on BlueSky, Instagram, Letterboxd, & YouTube. Check out Movies with My Dad, a new podcast recorded on the car ride home from the movies.
“Hershey” Wraps Filming in Pittsburgh
Have you heard? Something sweet is coming to a theater near you in 2026.
Have you heard? Something sweet is coming to a theater near you in 2026.
Timed to be released to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States, Hershey will tell the story of one of the most iconic candy companies in American history. While Milton Hershey, played by Finn Wittrock, might be most known outside of the Keystone state for his work in chocolate, those residing in Pennsylvania know that Milton cared deeply about education and building a community. In Hershey, PA, you can find the Milton Hershey School, a private school for low-income individuals aged 4–15.
At the helm of Hershey is director Mark Waters who is most known for comedies like Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, Just Like Heaven, and more. Waters will be directing a script written by Sharon Paul and Timothy Michael Hayes. Alongside Wittrock as Milton will be Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus) as Catherine “Kitty” Hershey. Rounding out the rest of the cast are Alan Ruck (Succession), Richard Kind (Only Murders in the Building), and over 1,500 background actors, primarily from the surrounding Pennsylvania area.
Courtesy of Hershey
“As we wrap, I feel most grateful to the people of Pennsylvania, who have supported us and actively participated in making this shoot a success,” said Waters. “I feel immense pride in what we’ve been able to do here, particularly in the fully committed performances of Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario, who have given their hearts and souls to portray two figures whose legacy still resonates today."
Hershey was shot across 17 locations throughout Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Hershey, Harmony, Smithfield, and Ligonier. Seventy-four sets were built to showcase the rise of Milton from humble beginnings to the chocolate empire we know today. The film spans from the early 1870s to the late 1910s and features almost 300 period-accurate principal costumes. That’s not to mention the 2,000+ background costumes!
Of course, a movie about Milton Hershey wouldn’t be complete without a couple thousands of pieces of chocolate to boot.
Check out behind-the-scenes photos from the set of Hershey!
Support your local film critic!
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Beyond the Cinerama Dome is run by one perpetually tired film critic
and her anxious emotional support chihuahua named Frankie.
Your kind donation means Frankie doesn’t need to get a job…yet.
Follow me on BlueSky, Instagram, Letterboxd, & YouTube. Check out Movies with My Dad, a new podcast recorded on the car ride home from the movies.