Where was Smallville filmed? All filming locations explored
Smallville follows a young Clark Kent (portrayed by Tom Welling) as he navigates high school, emerging superpowers, and the path toward becoming Superman. Set in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, the series explores Clark’s struggles with personal relationships, mysterious forces, evolving abilities, and his complicated bond with the Luthor family.
The show ran for 10 seasons from 2001 to 2011. Beyond its action and visual effects, much of Smallville's charm came from its filming locations. These real-world sites brought the fictional town to life, creating an immersive and believable backdrop for Clark’s life journey.
Exploring the filming locations of
Smallville
1) Cloverdale, Surrey, BC—The Heart of Smallville
The core of Smallville was established in great part in the little town of Cloverdale in Surrey, British Columbia. Most of the outdoor and street scenes in the town were filmed in this little neighborhood.
The show's depiction of a close-knit, Americana town fits Cloverdale's rustic appeal and rural vibe. Scenes capturing Clark Kent's upbringing deftly included the streets, residences, and local landmarks.
Clova Cinema was among the most recognizable structures in Cloverdale and created the backdrop for The Talon, a major scene in the series. Often spending time at the neighborhood café and theater, Clark Kent, Lana Lang, and eventually Lois Lane visited Clova Cinema's classic exterior, which fit the mood the writers of the series aimed for.
2) Vancouver—The City of Metropolis
While Smallville was meant to feel like a small, rural town, the show needed a sprawling metropolis to represent the city of Metropolis, where Clark eventually moves.
That was Vancouver, British Columbia. Metropolis was modeled on Vancouver's busy metropolitan scene, with its sleek, contemporary structures and fast-paced energy contrasted with the peaceful, pastoral air of Smallville.
Vancouver's downtown center, in particular, included numerous important structures that acted as sites in Metropolis. External views of the Daily Planet, Superman's famous workplace, were photographed from the Vancouver Art Gallery's outstanding architecture.
Emphasizing the city's strength and influence, the tall prominence of this edifice helped shape the proper feeling for Metropolis.
3) Hatley Castle, Colwood—The Luthor Mansion
Lex Luthor’s imposing mansion was a key location in the Smallville series, symbolizing both his wealth and the darker side of the Luthor family.
Hatley Castle in Colwood, BC, was used as the background for the Luthor Mansion. With its Gothic style and large grounds, this grand and ancient house was the right place for the wealthy Luthor family.
Hatley Castle's beautiful architecture and strong presence fit the story of the Luthor family and made it the perfect place for scenes that showed Lex Luthor's complicated relationship with Clark.
The dramatic and ominous look of the castle brought out the darker sides of Lex's personality and provided a visual contrast to Clark Kent's simple upbringing.
4) Aldergrove, BC—The Kent Farm
Representing the modest starting point of Clark Kent, the Kent Farm was among the most important locations in the series. A real-life farm in Aldergrove, BC, became the famous location where Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark's parents, reared him.
Surrounded by open areas and farms, the gorgeous location of the property aptly reflected the Kent family's grounded way of life.
The sequences shot at the Kent Farm were essential in representing Clark's connection to his Earth parents and his strong moral compass. Often portrayed as a serene haven for introspection and grounding, the farm was a refuge from the turmoil of Clark's growing abilities.
Clark would frequently consult his parents at this property and face some of his most significant challenges there.
5) Simon Fraser University—Metropolis University
Clark Kent moved from Smallville to Metropolis, and Smallville needed a university to show that he was now living in the city. Because Metropolis University is in Burnaby, BC, Simon Fraser University was chosen to stand in for it.
The brutalist, modern design of the university made it a brilliant choice for showing an elite school in the middle of Metropolis.
The show's depiction of Clark's school life was made more intriguing by the unique style of Simon Fraser University, with its large grounds and concrete buildings. Clark's growth also changed a lot when he went from small city to the bigger, more complicated world of Metropolis, which was where the university was located.
6) Riverview Hospital, Coquitlam—Belle Reve Sanitarium
The show went to Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam, BC, for several of the darker and more enigmatic sequences. Once a psychiatric hospital, Riverview Hospital offered the ideal location for sequences featuring mental institutions and covert facilities such as the Belle Reve Sanitarium.
Every episode of the series had a disturbing tone when characters were transported to or fled from Belle Reve because of the outdated and run-down look of the hospital with its long, dark halls and creepy ambiance.
The deteriorating architecture of Riverview added to the feeling of mystery and peril necessary for the supernatural themes so prominent in the show.
7) The Marine Building, Vancouver—LuthorCorp Headquarters
Smallville used the Marine Building in Vancouver to show LuthorCorp (later called LexCorp) Headquarters. Renowned for its grandeur and Art Deco style, the Marine Building became the ideal representation of Lex Luthor's business empire. Grand columns and elaborate artwork on the building's façade fit the riches and might of the Luthor family exactly.
The massive presence of the Marine Building further added to the visual difference between the modest existence in Smallville and the soaring impact of LuthorCorp. Being a major site in the show, it underlined the differences between the two worlds Clark Kent was stuck between.
8) Vancouver’s Gastown—The Daily Planet
The Vancouver Art Gallery served as the Daily Planet's offices, while the adjacent Gastown neighborhood frequently appeared in outdoor scenes. The charming and beautiful scenery of this area, with its cobblestone streets and old buildings, made the city look busy.
The show's mix of old-world charm and modern city life was strengthened by Gastown's vintage but up-to-date look. This place was also crucial for showing Clark Kent and Lois Lane's daily life as writers at the Daily Planet, making their workplace seem more real.
Meanwhile, Smallville is available for online streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime.
