Melbourne’s Docklands used for filming New York: The filming locations of Deadlocked
Deadlocked
Jamie Foxx is calling Melbourne home. The Oscar winner is in Victoria to film Deadlocked – Amazon MGM Studios’ new action thriller about a courthouse hostage crisis – and in October 2026, Bourke Street in Docklands was transformed into a New York movie scene.
Deadlocked is directed by Nikhil Bhat. Foxx plays a grieving former Marine serving jury duty who is forced back into action when a high-profile trial turns into a deadly hostage situation – as the defendant’s daughter seizes the courthouse to free her father. Sasha Calle and Kiki Layne co-star alongside Victorian actor Luke Hemsworth, Donné Ngabo, Josh McConville, Darcy Bryce, Jane Allsop and Stephen Hall.
The production was secured by VicScreen through the Victorian Screen Incentive and the Federal Government’s Location Offset – expected to inject $36 million into the local economy, generate more than 855 local cast and crew jobs, including 1,000 extras, and engage 370 Victorian businesses across armoury, safety, stunts and general services.
In October 2026, filming took place on Bourke Street in Docklands near the colourful National Australia Bank office building at number 800.
The buildings on Bourke Street already have a New York vibe. The glass-heavy architecture, the scale and the urban density make it a convincing American city stand-in – and a great location to recreate a New York action sequence of this scale. Victorian producer Paul Currie was specific about why: “There’s a really nice, contained glass building area on Bourke Street that’s right down in the Docklands area, that looks very similar to the New York courthouses.”
Large-scale action sequences – the gunshots and explosions that have been forewarned to Docklands residents – are being filmed across the precinct as Melbourne stands in for New York City.
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Multiple soundstages at Docklands Studios Melbourne serve as the controlled interior production base alongside the outdoor Docklands location work.
Melbourne’s CBD and Port Melbourne are also confirmed filming locations – the city’s mix of glass towers, civic buildings and waterfront environments extending the New York courthouse world across the wider metropolitan area.
Director Nikhil Bhat on the choice: “Melbourne delivers everything an action-packed project like this could ask for, from world-class stages to remarkably versatile locations that can stand in for almost anywhere in America. I’ve filmed all over the world, and few places have impressed me as much as Victoria.”
Deadlocked is filming in Melbourne now. A Prime Video release date has not yet been announced.
SOURCE
Variety Australia // Instragram posts // Victoria Government // VicScreen
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