Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT The filming locations used for Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York help bring the historical drama to life. Set in the Five Points section of Lower Manhattan in the 1860s, Gangs of New York gave audiences a New York City history lesson through the lens of Scorsese's artistic vision.
However, production wasn't without its challenges. That included the set design and filming locations used over the three years it took to complete Gangs of New York. Scorsese clashed with producer Harvey Weinstein as the director pushed to get every last detail to be accurate and authentic to the era of New York City. Yet despite Scorsese's dedication to authenticity, the primary filming location for Gangs of New York wasn't the Big Apple.
Instead, the primary filming location for Gangs of New York was the Cinecittà Studio in Rome, Italy. Scorsese collaborated with production designer Dante Ferretti to recreate the Five Points and several other New York City locations. More than a mile-long stretch of buildings was constructed to replicate 19th-century New York. That included a five-block stretch of Lower Manhattan featuring the Five Points.
New York City Ironically, only two days of filming for Gangs of New York actually took place in New York City. When production relocated to New York, it was filmed at Silvercup Studio in Long Island City. It's the same studio where other iconic TV series and movies set in New York were filmed, including Mad Men, Sex and the City, and Gossip Girl. However, Gangs of New York didn't need to stay there for long.
No part of principal photography took place in New York City. Months after Gangs of New York finished filming in Italy, reshoots were scheduled to clarify the battle scene at the end of the movie. As one of Martin Scorsese's best movie climaxes, it was essential to get it right. American Cinematographer reported the scene was initially shot over a year prior to the reshoot.