Stephen King fans, get ready. The Institute is coming to MGM+ on July 13, 2025 and it’s bringing a chilling story to your screens. Based on Stephen King’s bestselling 2019 novel, this horror-thriller series follows a young boy named Luke Ellis who suddenly finds himself trapped in a mysterious facility. But this isn’t an ordinary place—it’s known as “The Institute,” and it’s filled with children who have telepathic and telekinetic abilities.
Directed by Jack Bender (Lost, Under the Dome) and written by Benjamin Cavell (The Stand, Justified), this eight-episode series promises suspense, mystery, and an unsettling atmosphere. The cast includes Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis, Mary-Louise Parker as the sinister Ms. Sigsby, and Ben Barnes as Tim Jamieson. At NetFilming, we’re especially excited about where this eerie story was brought to life.
Where Was The Institute Filmed?
The Institute was primarily filmed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. This city on the East Coast has calm neighborhoods, wooded regions and old buildings that make it a great place to film a frightening and isolated show like the one in the series. It’s not surprising that the production team chose this place. Halifax is famed for its movie-like charm and ability to shoot both indoors and outside.
Most of the action in the show happens inside “The Institute,” a secret area that no one can see. The specific location of this structure in the real world hasn’t been established yet, but it’s probable that the team used a mix of genuine buildings in Halifax and Dartmouth, as well as sets they made themselves, to mimic the creepy setting in King’s book. People who live in the area say that sequences were also filmed in places like Windsor and Falmouth, which are also a short drive from Halifax. These towns gave the show the creepy small-town setting it needed.
Halifax has become a popular place to film in recent years because it has many different settings, tax breaks, and talented local crews. Other shows based on Stephen King’s material, like The Mist and Haven, have also filmed in Nova Scotia. This shows how well the location works for adapting King’s creepy writing style.
When did the filming of The Institute take place?
Filming for The Institute started in August 2024 and concluded by November 2024—which gave the crew about three months to finish principal photography. The crew condensed this timeframe by scheduling young actors and complex special effects to depict their supernatural abilities. The coordination required for certain scenes like telekinesis and other psychic displays likely increased the time needed for some shoots.
Post-production followed immediately after, with teams working on editing, sound design, and visual effects. The timeline between the end of filming and the July 2025 release gave the team ample time to fine-tune the final product and ensure the suspense hits just right.
The Institute Behind The Scenes
Bringing The Institute to life wasn’t just about eerie sets and dark hallways—it took months of careful planning, skilled coordination, and a creative team committed to preserving Stephen King’s unsettling atmosphere. The series was filmed over a span of nearly four months in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and included a mix of practical effects and built-from-scratch sets that recreated the mysterious facility known as the Institute.
Director Jack Bender, who’s worked on Lost and Mr. Mercedes, said in a press release, “What makes King’s story terrifying isn’t just the supernatural—it’s how human it all feels. We wanted that same emotional depth on screen.”
Ben Barnes, who plays Tim Jamieson, shared his excitement during an interview: “There’s something chilling about filming in real towns that already feel so isolated. It helped all of us sink into the story even more.”
The production also involved local Canadian crews and child actors, who underwent special workshops to portray the complex emotions of kids in captivity. With attention to detail and a strong connection to King’s original themes, the behind-the-scenes work on The Institute promises a gripping series that’s more than just surface-level horror.
The Institute Official Trailer
If you’re planning to visit Halifax or want to explore other filming locations, keep an eye on our site for more insights into your favorite shows and movies. Stay tuned for The Institute’s release on July 13, 2025, and get ready for a thrilling ride into Stephen King’s dark world!
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