Director Jon S. Baird brings an emotional, character-driven drama to the screen in EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE GREAT (2025). Written by Steven Rogers, the film stars Bryan Cranston as Buddy Smart and Allison Janney as Macy Smart—two parents navigating the ups and downs of life in regional theater while raising their two sons, Lester (played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Derrick (Jack Champion).
Set against the backdrop of small-town stages and family struggles, the film tells the story of the Smart family as they travel from one state to another, chasing dreams, dealing with grief, and trying to understand their place in the world. As Buddy clings to the idea of performing no matter the cost, Macy is left to balance family chaos, financial strain, and her own personal needs.
WHERE WAS EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE GREAT FILMED?
Principal photography for EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE GREAT began on April 21, 2023, in North Bay, Ontario. The shoot continued until May 26, 2023, with additional filming completed by July 2023.
NORTH BAY, ONTARIO
North Bay’s emergence as a filmmaking hotspot is a relatively new but growing phenomenon. Over the last decade, the city has transformed into a magnet for film crews, thanks to tax incentives, local support, and stunning natural and architectural features. Productions like SkyMed, which airs on Paramount Plus and CBC Gem, and now Everything’s Going to Be Great, have showcased the city’s appeal.
Residents have welcomed the wave of film activity with open arms. Locals reported sightings of Bryan Cranston at downtown establishments, and Emilia McCarthy, an actress with local ties, was also seen nearby while working on a separate project. The city’s growing reputation has led to multiple film shoots happening in quick succession—four films were reportedly shot within just two weeks in downtown North Bay.
North Bay, often dubbed “Hollywood North” in recent years, has become a sought-after filming destination thanks to its mix of urban settings, scenic backdrops, and supportive local infrastructure. This was no exception for the production team behind Everything’s Going to Be Great, who utilized the city’s resources to bring the Smart family’s journey to life.
WIDDIFIELD SECONDARY SCHOOL
One of the major locations used during the shoot was Widdifield Secondary School, a now-defunct high school in North Bay. The school, which closed during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, provided an ideal backdrop for certain scenes in the film. According to Near North District School Board’s communications coordinator, Brett Hanson, the production team filmed multiple sequences at the location in the spring of 2023.
The building has since been earmarked for repurposing, with plans submitted to convert it into a facility housing Alliance French Immersion School, Laurentian Learning Centre, and administrative offices. However, during production, it served as a versatile filming venue, allowing the filmmakers to recreate the environment of a school or regional theatre as needed.
POWASSAN, ONTARIO
Another notable filming location was Powassan, a municipality just south of North Bay. Though smaller in size, Powassan offered unique locations that supported the film’s themes of community, identity, and family life. Local buzz heightened when Bryan Cranston and Allison Janney were spotted on set, and the production even caught the attention of Vic Fedeli, a local Member of Provincial Parliament, who visited during filming and announced $2 million in funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for arts projects in the region.
The community’s participation and enthusiasm made Powassan a warm and welcoming place for cast and crew alike. Its quiet streets and picturesque locales were perfect stand-ins for small-town America, a key element of the Smart family’s ever-shifting journey.
TORONTO, ONTARIO
While the heart of the film was shot in Northern Ontario, the production also made use of Toronto, Canada’s largest city and a central hub for film and television production. Toronto’s well-established studio facilities and talent pool made it an ideal spot for interior scenes and any technical filming requirements not feasible in smaller towns.
Toronto’s diverse neighborhoods often double for American cities in major Hollywood productions, and it’s likely that certain controlled indoor scenes—possibly backstage sequences or intimate family moments—were captured here. Though exact sites in Toronto have not been publicly confirmed, it’s a common practice for large-scale Canadian shoots to wrap with a few final days in Toronto’s soundstages.
EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE GREAT OFFICIAL TRAILER
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