The main reason for filming in Vienna was the DC Tower itself. The production team was specifically searching for a modern high-rise building that could serve as the backdrop for a major action sequence. In Extraction 2, Vienna is presented from an entirely different perspective: gleaming glass skyscrapers, futuristic architecture, and underground roads replace the city’s famous historic landmarks. The filmmakers deliberately avoided the traditional postcard views of Vienna’s old town.

Donau City

DC Tower 1 and its surroundings offered exactly what director Sam Hargrave and his team needed. The elevated pedestrian decks and multi-level design of Donau City created the perfect setting for dynamic action scenes across several interconnected levels.

Inside the tower, the luxurious Meliá Vienna Hotel served as the location for the film’s interior scenes. The only challenge came from the weather, which made the planned rooftop sequences difficult to shoot. As a result, the production had to come up with an alternative plan.

Many local residents wondered what was happening when they saw helicopters circling above Donau City and heard gunfire echoing through the streets. For a moment, it genuinely looked as though a major police operation was underway. The area around DC Tower 1 and parts of the nearby Reichsbrücke were even closed to pedestrians.

Fortunately, the mystery was quickly solved. The production had staff stationed around the filming locations who, while unable to reveal details because of the strict secrecy surrounding major film productions, were able to inform curious passers-by that a movie was being filmed.

Donau City has continued to evolve since filming took place in 2022. Several new skyscrapers have been added to the skyline, and DC Tower 1 is no longer the district’s only architectural landmark. Nevertheless, the key filming locations from Extraction 2 are still easy to find today, including the Isidro Fabela Promenade and the square in front of the tower where the dramatic helicopter crash sequence was filmed.

If you’d like to see the hotel room used for the interior scenes, however, you’ll have to book a stay at the Meliá Vienna Hotel.

Would you like to discover the original filming locations in person?

The FILMED ON LOCATION audio tour takes you to the most important Extraction 2 filming locations while sharing fascinating behind-the-scenes stories exactly where they happened. Find all the details here.

Before Sunrise

James Bond 007 – The Living Daylights

The Third Man

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

The Boys from Brazil

Scorpio