The film adaptation of Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel of the same name was primarily shot on Long Island near New York City. The luxurious country house rented by the Sandford family is located in the village of Old Westbury. The area around the house was filmed in the historic park preserve in Lloyd Harbor. And in the village of Katonah, scenes with Teslas, a grocery store, and the deserted roads where Clay wanders were shot.
The production team skillfully used the bright landscapes and serene atmosphere of these locations to create a contrast with the unsettling events taking place in the film.

Filming Locations:

Beach

In the Movie

Scene where The Sandford family goes to the beach together. Amanda is glad there aren't many people. Rose and Archie walk along the shore, and Rose notices a huge ship on the horizon. The family continues to relax, sunbathe, Amanda reads a book, Archie texts a friend. Rose says in an alarmed voice that the ship is approaching the shore. Amanda and Clay look at the sea and realize in shock that an oil tanker is heading toward the beach without slowing down. They jump up from their spots and run away just in time—the ship rams the shoreline.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at Sunken Meadow State Park beach. The state park covers an area of 1,287 acres and is located in the town of Smithtown, on the North Shore of Long Island. The park's beach is washed by the waters of Long Island Sound. The nearly five-kilometer-long shoreline is perfect for beach recreation and for filming that recreation.

Cluster of Tesla Cars in the Middle of the Road

In the Movie

Scene where The frightened Sandford family leaves the rented country house. They drive in the car, Amanda and Clay discuss that over time they will be able to talk about what happened with humor. Along the way, the family encounters a traffic jam. Amanda gets out of the car to check the situation. She discovers many Tesla cars without drivers or passengers.

In Reality

The scene was filmed in the village of Katonah on Todd Road. The village is located near the town of Bedford in New York State. The road where the scene was filmed is almost three kilometers long. The vegetation surrounding Todd Road is very similar to the roads of the Long Island coast. That's why this location was chosen by the production team.

House

In the Movie

Scene where The Sandford family arrives at a mansion near New York City. The daughter and son get out of the car and race to the pool. The parents decide to explore the house inside. In the dining room, they find a welcome basket with various treats and a book describing important points about operating the house, such as the Wi-Fi password and instructions about not using alcohol from the bar cabinet.

In Reality

The scene was filmed on the grounds of the modern farmhouse The Open Corner. It is located in the village of Old Westbury on the North Shore of Long Island. The house was built in 2019 by the design company The Up Studio. It was designed so that sunlight enters at any time of day. The location manager contacted the studio that created the house, and throughout the filming, The Up Studio assisted in negotiations with the homeowners. The company's employees also closely interacted with the film crew during the construction of a replica of the house on the film studio's soundstages, because some scenes with the house needed to be shot there.