Where Was Netflix's Apex Filmed? The Australian Locations Behind the Thriller

The bulk of Apex was shot in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, roughly two hours west of Sydney. Sandstone cliffs, ancient river gorges, dense eucalyptus forest, and caves you can only reach by swimming. It's a landscape that doesn't need any help looking dangerous, which was entirely the point.

Interestingly, Australia wasn't the original plan. The script was initially set in America, but the production needed a warm climate at a specific time of year, which brought the Southern Hemisphere into play. Once Kormákur started looking seriously at New South Wales, the decision made itself. He wanted the land to function as a full character in the story, not just scenery behind two actors.

The specific locations used across the region include Ginninderra Falls, Glenbrook Gorge, Jelly Bean Pool, and Royal National Park south of Sydney.

Some of the most memorable sequences were shot in caves within Blue Mountains National Park that the crew could only access by swimming in, then hiking barefoot over rough terrain. Kormákur has said he scouted those caves personally and just kept going until he found exactly what he needed. It was, naturally, the furthest point possible.

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Some Scenes Were Shot at Disney Studios in Sydney

Not everything in Apex happened in the wild. Some sequences were filmed at Disney Studios Australia in Moore Park, Sydney, which handles productions requiring controlled environments alongside extensive location work. The production built climbing walls there that Theron used extensively during filming, with three cameras rolling simultaneously and no choreographed "action" calls. She'd just start climbing and the cameras would find her.

Kormákur has been consistent that the studio work was always informed by what the cast and crew had already experienced outdoors. By the time they moved inside, everyone had already been through the real thing.

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The Cast Was Actually in It

Part of what makes the Australian landscape feel so convincing onscreen is that nobody was pretending to be there. Both Theron and Egerton trained for months before production began.

Egerton worked at an Olympic kayaking facility and has said this shoot left him in the best physical shape of his life, specifically in terms of functional strength rather than how he looked. He also discovered, mid-production, that he has a genuine fear of heights, and had to work through it on set, including a wire drop of about 65 to 100 feet for a single shot.

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Theron trained with climber Beth Rodden and has said she fell completely in love with the sport. For the kayaking sequences in dangerous rapids, the production used world-class and Olympic-level athletes including River Mutton and Luuka Jones. The climbing, though, Theron has said she did herself. The sequence at the mountain peak near the film's end took her 38 minutes to complete for what amounts to roughly 30 seconds onscreen.

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The crew hiked for hours to reach some filming locations. Many Australian crew members had never visited the places they were shooting in. Multiple people got injured during production, nothing serious, but enough that everyone knew they were genuinely out there.

Why Australia Works for This Kind of Story

Apex joins a growing list of productions that have used Australia's landscape for survival and action storytelling. Mad Max, The Dry, and Tomorrow, When the War Begins all drew on the country's particular combination of beauty and genuine menace. There's something about the Australian wilderness that reads as legitimately threatening onscreen in a way that's very hard to manufacture elsewhere.

The production received support from the NSW government and Australia's Location Offset incentive program, which has made the country increasingly attractive to international productions. World-class crews, excellent studio infrastructure, and a wilderness that does half the storytelling for you. It's a combination that's hard to argue with. If you're watching Apex as you read this article, the Blue Mountains deserve a significant share of whatever anxiety you're feeling.

Apex is streaming now on Netflix.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Apex Netflix Filming Locations

Where was Apex filmed?

Apex was primarily filmed in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, roughly two hours west of Sydney. Additional shooting took place at Disney Studios Australia in Moore Park, Sydney.

What specific locations in the Blue Mountains were used?

Confirmed filming locations include Ginninderra Falls, Glenbrook Gorge, Jelly Bean Pool, Royal National Park south of Sydney, and caves within Blue Mountains National Park accessible only by swimming.

Was Australia always the plan for Apex?

No. The script was originally set in America. The production needed a warm-climate location for a specific time of year, which brought the Southern Hemisphere into consideration. Once director Baltasar Kormákur looked seriously at New South Wales, Australia became the clear choice.

What is Apex about?

Charlize Theron plays Sasha, a grieving woman seeking solitude in the Australian wilderness who becomes the prey of a serial killer named Ben, played by Taron Egerton. Eric Bana also stars as Tommy. The film is a survival thriller directed by Baltasar Kormákur and written by Jeremy Robbins.

When does Apex come out?

Apex premieres on Netflix today, April 24, 2026.

Did the actors do their own physical work?

Both Theron and Egerton trained extensively and performed a significant amount of the physical work themselves. Theron did all of the climbing herself, training with professional climber Beth Rodden. For the most dangerous kayaking sequences in fast rapids, Olympic-level kayakers including River Mutton and Luuka Jones stepped in. Egerton did his own kayaking after training at an Olympic facility and also completed a wire drop of 20 to 30 meters for one specific shot.

Who else is in Apex?

The main cast is Charlize Theron as Sasha, Taron Egerton as Ben, and Eric Bana as Tommy.

Who directed Apex?

Baltasar Kormákur, the Icelandic director known for Everest and 2 Guns. He also co-produced the film alongside Theron, among others.