There were some absolutely terrifying scenes in the heart of Mexico City over the weekend — people in a panic dodging stalled cars as they ran like mad down one of the capital’s biggest streets.
But it was only a movie.
Scenes were being shot in the Mexican capital for the new Godzilla film, “Godzilla x Kong: Supernova,” which is expected to hit theaters in March 2027.
The sixth Godzilla film to be fully produced by a Hollywood studio — and the 39th Godzilla movie overall, dating back to the 1954 Japanese original — is a sequel to the 2024 blockbuster “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”
Mexico City isn’t the only shooting location. Scenes will also be shot in London, Utah and several Australian cities.
But the closure of a portion of the major thoroughfare Paseo de la Reforma on Saturday led to the images of pandemonium.
Afterward, videos flooded TikTok and X and other social media, showing crowds of extras running and screaming, racing away from an unseen threat as if they were in fear for their lives.
Though some bystanders were at first unsure if they were witnessing an actual catastrophe, it was all fictional, of course. Neither Godzilla nor Kong — or even a fake, movie version of either — was actually invading the capital.
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Filming ran from the Angel of Independence monument to the Diana the Huntress sculpture and fountain, known in Spanish as La Diana Cazadora. The Palacio de Bellas Artes also featured in some shots.
Extras followed orders: run, don’t look back. Some left vehicles at odd angles to heighten the chaos, and sirens sounded as the cameras rolled. It looked like a city-wide evacuation.
The production team thanked locals for their patience, and crews made sure everything was under control. The city had issued an official announcement beforehand about the street closures and the filming.
The movie is being produced by Legendary Pictures and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Grant Sputore, an Australian in his early 40s known for his 2019 sci-fi thriller “I Am Mother,” is directing.
The cast includes Kaitlyn Dever, Dan Stevens, Sam Neill, Matthew Modine and Delroy Lindo, though no stars were on site in CDMX.
This isn’t the first time the Monsterverse touched down in the capital. The 2019 film “Godzilla II: King of the Monsters” also shot in Mexico City.
With reports from Milenio, Chilango.com and El Universal
Downtown CDMX is always paralyzed! Sitting in traffic right now reading MND… 🤣🤮