Shot on location - Films and TV-series: Singapore

28 December 2021

Marina Bay, Singapore

Twenty years after aliens attacked Earth in Independence Day, the film received a sequel in 2016, INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE. Once again danger is lurking from outer space, but after the establishment of the Earth Space Defense by the United Nations, countries are better prepared for a new invasion.

Independence Day: Resurgence, 1:39:42

Warning: the text may give away details of the plot. The original movie was set entirely in the United States. In this sequel, the moon, planet Mars, and Rhea, one of Saturn's moons, are colonized. The aliens are now also targeting Asia: after Dubai, Singapore is completely destroyed in less than a minute. It is not clear to me if filming took place in this city. Most of the shots seem to consist of models and computer animations.

This was probably the main reason to have the attack set in the evening. Although some buildings are recognizable, the surroundings do not match.

Seeing buildings collapsing and cars flying in the sky, people run in panic from their cars that are stuck in traffic. The ArtScience Museum can be seen on the left. The shape of the building, designed by Israeli architect Moshe Safdie, is inspired by a lotus flower. As can be seen in the photo, the museum, which opened in 2011, is not located next to a road but on Marina Bay.

Independence Day: Resurgence, 0:41:14

ArtScience Museum, Singapore, 27 December 2019

One of the skyscrapers that collapses has the Hitachi sign, but this company does not own any highrise buildings in Singapore. For comparison, I added a photo of the city skyline as seen from the observation deck of the Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Independence Day: Resurgence, 0:41:20

Singapore, 27 December 2019

The luxurious Marina Bay Sands hotel is seen for a moment before collapsing. On the far left one of the three towers, connected at the top by a roof construction, is visible.

Independence Day: Resurgence, 0:41:26

Marina Bay, Singapore, 27 December 2019

The hotel is better seen on one of the four different movie posters. For more information on Marina Bay Sands and Singapore, see the blog post Marina Bay, Singapore that I wrote last year about the film Crazy Rich Asians.

Movie poster Independence Day:
Resurgence

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore,
27 December 2019

Screenshots and movie poster © 20th Century Fox/TSG Entertainment

27 December 2020

Marina Bay, Singapore

In the film CRAZY RICH ASIANS Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), a university professor from New York, joins her fiancé Nick Young (Henry Golding) to go to the wedding of his best friend Colin (Chris Pang) in Singapore.

Crazy Rich Asians, 0:18:07

Warning: the text may give away details of the plot. To her surprise Nick comes from a very wealthy and famous family. Because Rachel is of a more humble background herself, she is not accepted by everyone and is seen as a gold-digger by some. Especially Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), Nick's mother, shows her disapproval. In spite of Nick's support, Rachel starts to doubt whether she should marry him.

The film was shot entirely on location in Singapore and Malaysia. Filming began on 24 April and was completed on 23 June 2017. Despite the story also being set in London, New York and Shanghai, no scenes were filmed here.

Pedestrian bridge to Marina Bay Sands,
Singapore, 27 December 2019

The Republic of Singapore is a former British colony and consists of 63 islands. It is a city-state and thus has no capital. Tourism is an important source of income. Every year 18 million people visit the city, three times more than there are inhabitants. We visited Singapore on our way to New Zealand (exactly one year ago) and stayed there for a few days on the way back and forth. This was a great opportunity to explore the city. Those in transit can also make a short excursion of a few hours.

Even before Rachel and Nick arrive in Singapore, people speculate about who she is on WhatsApp. Some members of the app group are in the Marina Bay area. A striking building is Esplanade: Theatres on the Bay, a concert hall and a theatre in one building that was opened in 2002.

Crazy Rich Asians, 0:06:49

Marina Bay, Singapore, 27 December 2019

The eye-catcher of the city is Marina Bay Sands, completed in 2010. This luxury hotel consists of three towers connected at the top by a roof construction including a 150 meters (490 feet) long swimming pool. An observation deck with spectacular views of the city is also open to non-guests for a fee.

Crazy Rich Asians, 0:06:55

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 27 December 2019

Crazy Rich Asians, 0:07:11

SkyPark observation deck Marina Bay Sands,
Singapore, 27 December 2019

Rachel and Nick arrive in town at the beginning of the evening. At Marina Bay stands the water-spitting statue of Merlion, half lion and half fish. It was designed in 1964 as the logo of the Singapore Tourism Board and has since become a symbol of the city.

Crazy Rich Asians, 0:22:43

Merlion, Marina Bay, Singapore, 27 December 2019

The wedding was filmed in Chijmes on 30 Victoria Street, a former Catholic convent that is now used as a wedding venue.

Crazy Rich Asians, 1:17:25

Chijmes, Singapore, 27 December 2019

Astrid (Gemma Chan), a cousin of Nick, confronts her husband Michael (Pierre Png) with his affair. He angrily gets out of the car on Fullerton Road, just before the Anderson Bridge.

Crazy Rich Asians, 1:22:09

Fullerton Road, Singapore, 27 december 2019

Gardens by the Bay,
Singapore,
27 December 2019

The wedding reception takes place in Gardens by the Bay, a large nature park in which a sustainable environment is central. Construction started in November 2007 and took four years. In addition to two greenhouses, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest, the park is dominated by gigantic structures, 'supertrees', which serve as vertical gardens. Some of these supertrees are connected to an elevated walkway. Because the number of simultaneous visitors is limited, there may be a waiting time. Although we had to wait for a while we were lucky, during our visit the observation deck of the tallest tree was opened to the public. For more information, see the website Gardens by the Bay.

In the evening, the park is illuminated in a fairytale style. When we were there there was a Christmas light show. In the background you can see one of the greenhouses and again the Marina Bay Sands.

Crazy Rich Asians, 1:28:58

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, 27 December 2019

Crazy Rich Asians, 1:29:02

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, 27 December 2019

Crazy Rich Asians, 1:30:22

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, 27 December 2019

When Nick's grandmother (Lisa Lu) also turns against Rachel, she leaves the reception disappointed. The next day Nick finds her at Queen Elizabeth Walk at Marina Bay. In the background the Anderson Bridge can be seen again.