Netflix’s current number one film is a nail-biting cat-and-mouse thriller pitting an adventurous rock climber against an unhinged hunter

Featuring Charlize Theron as Sasha and Taron Egerton as her pursuer, Ben, this white-knuckle ride has clearly proven a hit among subscribers.

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, Apex is set in the Australian wilderness, which presents Sasha with a gauntlet of dangerous terrain whilst she tries to outrun her biggest threat.

But was the film actually shot in the Australian outback? Let’s take a look at what’s been confirmed about this must-watch streaming thriller.

Taron Egerton and Charlize Theron

A rock climber is pursued by an unhinged hunter(Image: NETFLIX)

Where was Apex filmed?

The new Netflix film was indeed shot entirely in Australia, with filming in Sydney and New South Wales taking place during spring last year.

Bringing a rugged authenticity to the production, much of the action takes place in the Blue Mountains World Heritage-listed National Park, a 90-minute drive from Sydney.

One particularly breathtaking location is the Grand Canyon walking track, which provides a stunning view of the lush, mountainous landscape.

Landscape view of Grand Canyon in Australia at sunset

Apex was filmed in the stunning Blue Mountains National Park in New South Wales(Image: GETTY)

Other primary locations include the historic town of Bowning, near the Murray River, a small hamlet with a population of less than 1,000, which is where Sasha first bumps into Ben.

Later on, Sasha finds herself almost ensnared by Ben while canoeing down a river. These sequences were filmed in the remote wild swimming hole known as The Needles.

Viewers may also spot the Ginninderra Falls by the border of Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which is where Sasha performs a dizzying cliff jump.

Blonde woman in a canoe on a river

The film’s river scenes were shot at the Needles on the Woronora River(Image: NETFLIX)

One of the most spectacular waterfalls in Australia, it drops more than 60km into a deep gorge. Unfortunately, it’s currently closed to the public but was once a popular tourism spot.

Director Kormákur has explained that shooting on-location in Australia was the only way to make this ambitious thriller work.

“For a film like Apex — where the elements and the terrain are characters that loom just as large as the movie stars battling in it — no other country in the world could have taken the place of Australia as our primary location,” he said.

“The unrivalled landscape, studio facilities, and talented crews in New South Wales have been a boon to this production.

“I want to thank the people of NSW, the NSW government, and the Australian Government’s Location Offset for all the support we’ve received in making this journey possible.”

Apex is available to stream on Netflix.