ST. JOHN’S - Audiences in St. John’s got a sneak peek Wednesday at the latest big-budget production showcasing Newfoundland and Labrador to the world. Dozens were invited to a special screening of Below, a drama starring Josh Hartnett headed for a worldwide release next month on streaming giant Netflix. Not only is the miniseries shot in Newfoundland, but it’s thoroughly set in Newfoundland — portraying the province’s nostalgia for a pre-resettlement-program world; the complicated feelings of young men and women moving “out west” for work; and jokes that land a little bit deeper with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians than they would for just about anyone else. “I think it, for one, really sends a message to Hollywood and to Canada at large that we’re capable of telling stories that are big in scale and scope,” said Chris Hatcher, an executive producer on the project. “We can really execute that.” The production spent big during its shooting in 2025, helping boost the film industry to a milestone year. Industry incubator PictureNL — a project by Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial government — said spending in 2025 hit more than $150 million across multiple productions. “We’re on track to go beyond that $150 million in production activity this year already,” added director Laura Churchill. The next step for the growing industry, she says, is a way to tackle the province’s moody weather. Although productions like Below have traded on the province’s natural beauty, Newfoundland and Labrador is infamously foggy, rainy and grey — especially when compared to other major filming hubs in Toronto and Montreal. A dedicated, purpose-built indoor sound stage would help filming crews keep more work inside the province and be less dependent on the fog burning off. “It would be a great next step,” Churchill said. “Again, it’s about bringing production that can be here year-round. We do great with ‘on-location’ now, but if we did have bespoke sound stage, I think we would be able to get (to) that next tier.” Although PictureNL — a creature of the provincial government — does invest in TV and film production to incentivize it to come to the province, Churchill says a sound stage would be best kept as private infrastructure. “There’s been interest on a regular basis. We have conversations about this fairly regularly,” she said. Portions of hit movies Peter Pan & Wendy and Aquaman were shot in the province, as well as portions of the TV shows Frontier, Reacher and Severance. “It’s the warmest reception I’ve ever had, in any place I’ve ever been in my life,” actor Josh Hartnett told the audience on Wednesday evening at the Majestic Theatre in St. John’s. “Open and hospitable in a way that felt completely natural, and not just for me.” “I will tell you, the word is out,” Churchill added. “The buzz is really exciting. I think we’ve got a lot of longevity and more to come here in Newfoundland and Labrador.” Churchill says the local industry currently supports about 800 jobs, but with a new local film campus graduating roughly 70 students every year, growth is important. She believes a sound stage is a natural next step, if the industry can find an investor willing to foot the bill. “We want it to be a full year round industry where people can be working, staying and living here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” she said.
