“Paper Girls” is a sci-fi, Fantasy drama Tv series produced by Stephanie Folsom. Based on the comic book series of the same name written by Brian K. Vaughan. Early on the morning after Halloween in 1988, four 12-year-old girls are delivering papers on their bikes when they are suddenly caught up in a time travel conflict that turns their lives upside down. Now they must go on an adventure through time to save the world.
As these four friends travel through time, they come face to face with future versions of themselves as they either accept their fate or reject it. The use of purple undertones in “Paper Girls” in some interesting backgrounds tends to reflect the sinister and fantastical nature of the narrative. At the same time, it makes you want to know more about the real filming locations that appear in the sci-fi series.
Where Was Paper Girls Series Filmed?
“Paper Girls” is filmed entirely in various locations throughout Illinois, specifically in Cook County, Will County, McHenry, and Elburn. The original plan was to start shooting the first season in March 2021, but for some reason, it got delayed. Finally, principal photography for the initial iteration of the time travel series began in May 2021 and wrapped up in early October of that year.
Although the story takes place in the fictional suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, the production team does a great job of transforming the Illinois locations to represent Forest City.
Illinois
Most of the debut season of ‘Paper Girls took place in Cook County, the most populous county in Illinois. The production team uses the Cinespace Chicago Film Studios facility to shoot several key scenes of the series. Located at 2621 West 15th Place in Chicago, the studio offers highly functional studio space with 51 soundproof stages of various sizes and 10 production offices with or without studio connections, making it capable of meeting any production requirement.
View this post on Instagram
In early August 2021, the cast and crew of “Paper Girls” were spotted filming some scenes in the Lakewood neighborhood of Chicago. In particular, the Music Box Theater at 3733 North Southport Avenue and surrounding areas in the Southport Corridor, including 3500 North Southport Avenue, served as pivotal locations for the series.
The production unit transformed the area into a late 1980s Ohio city street with various vintage vehicles and movie posters of the era. Additionally, in June 2021, the production unit was spotted filming several scenes for the first season at one of Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria locations in Chicago. The Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago also appears in Season 1 of the drama show.
View this post on Instagram
According to reports, the Halloween scene in the debut season was recorded in the village of Glenwood, mainly in Arquilla Park and its surrounding streets. The villages of Homewood, Thornton, Wheeling, Orland Park, and the city of Prospect Heights also served as prominent production sites for the first iteration. In addition, the cast and crew of “Paper Girls” filmed several scenes at Pulaski Woods East at 9600 Wolf Road in Willow Springs.
Additional portions for “Paper Girls” Season 1 were screened on Oakland Avenue in Crest Hill and in and around the Joliet Police Station in downtown Joliet. Both are located in Will County, and in the second case, Joliet police even blocked off several blocks along Des Plaines Street to minimize disruption during the shooting.
View this post on Instagram
In September 2021, the production unit of the sci-fi series was spotted recording at the McHenry Outdoor Theater at 1510 North Chapel Hill Road in McHenry and other surrounding areas of the drive-in theater. Elburn is another village they used to film some sequences for the show’s opening season.
Related – The Rig (2023): Where Was Prime Video’s Series Filmed?
