Where was The Instigators filmed? All shooting locations explored

The Instigators is a recently released heist comedy movie by Doug Ligman (known for films like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Jumper, and The Bourne Identity). Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are co-producers of the movie released on Apple TV+ on August 2, 2024.

The heist-comedy movie sees Matt Damon and Casy Affleck take center stage through their characters Rory and Cobby respectively. Rory is a former U.S. Marine facing financial woes although he has always done things by the book throughout his life. In contrast, Cobby is a criminal who has conned his way through life. The commonality between them is that both are dads who try to do the best for their children.

The movie features Academy Award-winning actress Hong Chau in a supporting role along with an ensemble set of actors including Ron Perlman, Jack Harlow, Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, and Michael Stuhlbarg, among others.

The Instigators has been primarily filmed across Boston, Massachusetts. The city was widely featured in shots across the trailer. The Affleck brothers and Matt Damon hail from Massachusetts, which explains why they chose the location as the primary location for the plot to unfold.

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The Instigators on Apple TV+: Filming Locations Explored

As mentioned earlier, The Instigators primarily filmed across Boston, Massachusetts. The filming commenced in March 2023 and was completed within 36 days, as per actress Hong Chau in a conversation with 'Bostonia' (Boston University's alumni magazine). Chau, a student at Boston University herself, also revealed that the fanfare of Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in and around the city was a major boost for filming as it opened many doors for the crew.

As per Chau, the principal filming was primarily completed in natural light conditions. Along with Boston, the film also used other locations such as Cambridge, Massachusetts, and New York. Here is the list of primary filming locations of The Instigators:

1) Boston, Massachusetts

The sprawling city of Boston served as the primary filming location. The largest city in the New England region is famous for its coastal location and also for being a leading center of higher education.

The film highlights major locations around the city, such as the legendary Fenway Park stadium (home of the Boston Red Sox), Faneuil Hall, and City Hall Plaza. One of the major filming locations was also the famous bakery known as Bova's Bakery, located in the northern part of the city.

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2) Cambridge, Massachusetts

The city of Cambridge has also been featured throughout The Instigators as visible in scenes from the trailer. The historic city has been named after the renowned University of Cambridge. The city also houses famous educational institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Radcliffe College, among others.

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3) Quincy, Massachusetts

The historic city of Quincy is another filming location used throughout the film. The film has very subtle cues involving the famous brand Dunkin' Donuts which originates from the city of Quincy.

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4) Nassau, New York

The Nassau University Medical Center (image via wshu public radio)

New York is the other major filming location apart from Massachusetts, where The Instigators has been shot. The two most prominent places featured in the movie are the Nassau University Medical Center and the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow.

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The Instigators is currently available for streaming on Apple TV+.