The film Patriots Day was filmed in 2016. Principal photography for the production took place during the spring of that year, establishing the factual basis for its production timeline.
The production schedule began with principal photography on March 29, 2016, and concluded in May 2016. Filming occurred almost entirely on location in Massachusetts to enhance authenticity. Key locations included Quincy, which stood in for Watertown during the shootout sequence, as well as Malden, Weymouth, and the campus of MIT. Crucial scenes were also filmed at the actual Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street.
This 2016 filming schedule facilitated a limited theatrical release in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles on December 21, 2016, to qualify for awards season consideration. A nationwide wide release followed on January 13, 2017. The temporal proximity of the production to the actual 2013 event allowed the filmmakers to capture a contemporary perspective on the bombing and its aftermath.
