HBO’s upcoming limited series Task is already generating buzz, thanks to its gripping storyline and strong cast. Brad Ingelsby, who wrote the award-winning Mare of Easttown, is behind the show. This time, Ingelsby goes back to his Pennsylvania roots and makes another gritty crime drama.
Mark Ruffalo plays FBI agent Tom Brandis in the show. He leads a task force that is looking into violent robberies in the Philadelphia area. Tom Pelphrey portrays Robbie, a family man whose life becomes entangled with the criminal underworld. He sits on the opposite side of the table. The seven-part series will start on September 7, 2025 and air every week on HBO and Max.
For fans curious about authenticity, Task was filmed almost entirely on location in Pennsylvania. From urban streets to suburban towns, every setting ground the story in real communities. Here at NetFilming, we take a closer look at where the series was filmed and how these places shape its atmosphere.
Where Was Task Filmed?
Production for Task was centred in and around Philadelphia, stretching into Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery counties. Confirmed filming spots include Wissahickon Valley Park, Media Courthouse, South Philadelphia’s Italian Market, Coatesville, Roxborough, and Mont Clare.
The decision to film locally highlights Ingelsby’s signature approach—rooting his dramas in the communities he knows best. Below, we break down each filming location with added context.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wissahickon Valley Park in Northwest Philadelphia was one of the most famous places to film. This park with trees was the setting for chase scenes and standoffs outside. The rough terrain mirrors the tension and unpredictability of the story.
Philadelphia is a centre of culture and history in its own right. It is known as the birthplace of American democracy, and it has a mix of gritty city life, historic buildings, and close-knit neighbourhoods that make it a great place for filmmakers to work. Task and other crime dramas are more real because of the city’s rowhouses and industrial backgrounds.
Fun fact: Filmmakers have loved Philadelphia for a long time. Films such as Rocky, Creed, and Silver Linings Playbook have all filmed in Philadelphia, making it an ideal location for filming.
Pennsylvania’s Delaware County
The filming took place in a number of working-class suburbs in Delaware County, such as Ridley Township, Aston, Upper Chichester, Chadds Ford and Marcus Hook. These towns had the right mix of homes and businesses for the show.
People in the area often call it “Delco”. It is known for its close-knit neighbourhoods, old buildings, and being close to major highways. This realness made it the perfect place for Ingelsby to tell his stories.
Trivia: Delaware County was also used in Mare of Easttown, reinforcing Ingelsby’s ongoing connection to the area.
Media, Pennsylvania
Production moved into Media, the Delaware County seat, where scenes were filmed at the Fronefield Building inside the county government complex. Courtroom sequences were staged here, giving the series a sense of legal realism.
Media is a small but lively borough that is only 13 miles from Philadelphia. The town has a real small-town feel, with a charming downtown centred on State Street and a historic courthouse.
Trivia: Media was featured in Mare of Easttown, particularly in the courthouse scenes that contributed to the legal drama of the story.
South Philly
Another great thing about filming was being in South Philadelphia, especially around the famous Italian Market and Ralph’s Italian Restaurant on South 9th Street. These places are at the heart of Philadelphia’s culture, where food, family and tradition come together.
People know South Philadelphia for its long blocks of rowhouses, strong sense of community and lively immigrant communities. It has many local markets and corner stores, which makes it a good place for realistic urban stories.
Trivia: The Italian Market is one of Philadelphia’s most famous movie locations because it was in Rocky’s training montage.
Coatesville, PA
Filming took place in downtown Coatesville from March 12 to 18, 2024, mostly along Strode Avenue and Lincoln Highway. City officials told people ahead of time that the businesses would be closed. This got people in the area excited to see Hollywood in their town.
Coatesville, which is in Chester County, has a long history in the steel industry. It has red-brick rowhouses and streets that look like they belong in a mill town, making it a perfect setting for a crime drama about working-class problems.
Trivia: Coatesville has also been used in independent films and commercials because of its steel-town aesthetic, though Task represents one of the biggest productions to arrive there.
Roxborough, Pennsylvania
The neighbourhood of Roxborough, perched above the Schuylkill River in Northwest Philadelphia, also hosted filming. Its main thoroughfare, Ridge Avenue, and its connection to nearby Manayunk provided diverse backdrops for production.
Roxborough is a residential area with schools, businesses, and access to nature through Wissahickon Valley Park. Its balance of suburban and urban elements made it a versatile choice for the series.
Mont Clare, Pennsylvania
Filming also touched Mont Clare, a quiet village in Montgomery County across the Schuylkill River from Phoenixville. With its small-town streets and canal history, Mont Clare added a grounded, intimate feel to certain sequences.
The area is known for Lock 60 of the historic Schuylkill Canal, scenic river views, and its residential charm.
Trivia: Nearby Phoenixville is famous for being the filming location of the cult classic The Blob (1958), celebrated annually with “Blobfest.”
Task Behind The Scenes
Putting together Task felt like a true team effort, especially with everyone so connected to the Philadelphia area. I love how creator Brad Ingelsby drew from his own roots in Chester County to build this story about real people facing hard choices.
According to Vanity Fair, Mark Ruffalo, who stars as the FBI agent, got excited early on. He told interviewers, “The writing’s amazing. Now let’s see if I can do it.” Ruffalo also described his role as a “good guy but complicated. He’s badly damaged but fighting for good,” which shows the depth he brought to the character.
Filming had its share of memorable moments. Director Jeremiah Zagar, born and raised in South Philly, added that local touch—his dad is the artist behind the famous Magic Gardens. We even shot scenes at Neumann University in Aston during spring break in March 2024, with Ruffalo in the Mirenda Center and Our Lady of Angels Convent. It gave the production a fresh, academic vibe that fit the suburban setting.
Ruffalo hinted at bigger plans too, saying, “At some point, those two [series] might run into each other in the future,” talking about linking Task with Mare of Easttown. Ingelsby shared his thoughts on expanding stories: “If I had an idea that I was convinced could be great and would allow us to spend time with these people and also be a great mystery and thriller, then I would definitely consider it.”
The cast, including Tom Pelphrey, bonded over the intense script—Pelphrey’s line in the trailer, “I’m gonna take their money so we can have a better life,” captures the moral twists.
When helmers like Salli Richardson-Whitfield stepped behind the lens alongside Zagar and Dan Deacon’s pulsing score wrapped around the crew, the boards thrummed with electric inventiveness. They called it a wrap last August after a marathon of night shoots through the Philly ’burbs, twisting banal storefronts and family kitchens into taut urban thrillers. You can practically trace the crew’s pulse on the final cut; everyone hustled to summon a fiercely real, utterly absorbing Task.
HBO mini-series Task Official Trailer
Visit NetFilming for more filming locations and BTS.
FAQs
Q1. When does HBO’s Task premiere?
A1. Task premieres on September 7, 2025, with weekly episodes on HBO and Max.
Q2. Who created the HBO series Task?
A2. The show is created by Brad Ingelsby, best known for Mare of Easttown.
Q3. Where was Task filmed?
A3. Filming took place across the Philadelphia region, including Wissahickon Valley Park, Media Courthouse, South Philadelphia, Coatesville, Roxborough, and Mont Clare.
Q4. Who stars in HBO’s Task?
A4. The cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Raúl Castillo, and more.
Q5. What is Task about?
A5. The series follows FBI agent Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) as he leads a task force investigating violent robberies, while Robbie (Tom Pelphrey) struggles as a family man pulled into crime.
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