Netflix’s ‘Havoc’ Film Recreates U.S. Scenes Across South Wales

Although ‘Havoc’, Netflix’s new thriller starring Tom Hardy, is set in an unnamed U.S. city, it was entirely filmed in Wales. Director Gareth Evans faced the challenge of finding locations around Swansea, Port Talbot, Cardiff, and Newport that could double as American settings, with visual effects helping to complete the illusion. Key locations included Brangwyn Hall in Swansea, Bute Street in Cardiff, and Baglan train station in Neath Port Talbot. Swansea University’s Bay Campus served both for traffic scenes and parts of a fishing shack, while Trade Street in Cardiff was transformed into a fictional Chinatown. Despite the ambitious nature of the project, producer Ed Talfan praised the local crews and hopes the production will encourage more filming in Wales. Real businesses, like Neil Rayment’s goldsmith shop, were temporarily transformed to fit the film’s urban U.S. look. The project highlights the growing film production capabilities of Wales.