Why is Blue Bloods spin-off Boston Blue being shot in Canada? Here's the actual reason

Blue Bloods spin-off series Boston Blue is confirmed to release on October 17, 2025, on CBS. The series will follow Donnie Wahlberg’s character, Detective Danny Reagan, who joins the Boston Police Department. He begins working with the local police, which includes Sonequa Martin-Green’s Lena, Marcus Scribner’s Jonah, and Maggie Lawson’s Sarah.

While the show is called Boston Blue, it was revealed that most of the procedural drama’s filming was done in Canada rather than Boston. In the podcast Billy & Lisa in the Morning, star and producer Donnie Wahlberg shared that the show’s interior filming was shot in Canada due to financial constraints. He explained that the cost was lower in the North American country compared to the U.S.

He further shared that the exterior shots will definitely be taken in the city of Boston, as it would be difficult to replicate the city’s vibe in Toronto, Canada.

More on this in our story.

Boston Blue: Wahlberg revealed that finance was the reason behind the show being shot in Canada

As the name Boston Blue suggests, Danny Reagan’s next chapter will take place in Boston as he moves to the cultural hub of Massachusetts. However, the filming of the procedural series in Canada surprised numerous fans awaiting the spin-off’s release.

In Billy & Lisa in the Morning, Wahlberg talked about the differences in filming rates between Canada and the U.S. He stated that the industry has been severely hit due to the Hollywood strikes and COVID. He feels lucky to still be able to work, so filming in Canada is a small compromise to make the show and bring it to the audience.

In the interview, he also shared details about including shots in Boston and bringing actors native to the city as guest stars in Boston Blue. He shared:

"It’s basically thirty cents on a dollar to film in Canada right now, compared to eighty cents on a dollar, ninety cents from a dollar even with tax breaks."

He continued:

"The plan right now is to do the interiors up here [in Toronto] and go to Boston every couple of weeks and do what we did and put a crew together, a Boston crew, and go down and film all over the city. You can’t fake what Boston looks like."

He also confessed that he loves Boston and addressed rumors about filming being a personal choice:

"People think it’s a personal choice or that I didn’t want to film in Boston. I had the best time in my life filming in Boston. I have the best time in my life every time I go to Boston … The industry has really been beat up from COVID and the strike."

He further added:

"It’s really dire straits financially in the industry, so I’m really fortunate to be making a show."

Additionally, Wahlberg shared that he hopes the show, made with compromises on location due to financial issues, will impress fans—perhaps enough to bring the production back to Boston for a full season.

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Catch Boston Blue on CBS on October 17, 2025.

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