Update: Award winning director David Fincher to film movie in downtown St. Charles

St. Charles Business Alliance Executive Director Jenna Sawicki is happy that award winning director David Fincher has decided to film part of his upcoming Netflix noir thriller “The Killer” in downtown St. Charles.

The film will star Michael Fassbender, known for playing the character Magneto in the “X-Men” movies. He will play a contract killer in the movie, which is based on a French graphic novel.

Actress Tilda Swinton also is part of the cast. Fincher is known for such films as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Gone Girl” and “Fight Club.”

“It’s very exciting that a major motion picture is being filmed here in St. Charles,” Sawicki said. “It will be very cool to see when it comes out.”

Much of the filming will take place in the historic Hotel Baker, which was built in 1928 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Filming will take place over about a 10-day period starting in early March and the majority of the filming will occur at night, St. Charles Police Chief James Keegan told aldermen during Tuesday’s St. Charles City Council meeting.

It should wrap up soon after the St. Patrick’s Parade on March 12, he said.

“So far the movie crew has been really great to work with,” Sawicki said. “It won’t affect the parade. They are filming at night and our parade is at 2 p.m. It will work like clockwork, hopefully.”

Paris, New Orleans and the Dominican Republic will also serve as backdrops for the movie. At Tuesday’s St. Charles City Council, aldermen unanimously approved licensing agreements with Airboat Productions, LLC. for use of the former St. Charles police station along the Fox River along with use of the west side parking deck at First and Illinois streets during their upcoming filming schedule in March.

The former police station will serve as the hub for the production and the production crew will use the fifth floor of the parking deck.