Netflix Builds Detailed Apple Store Replica for 'iHostage' Movie
Netflix recreated an Apple Store from the ground up for its newly released thriller "iHostage," a dramatization of the real-life hostage crisis that took place at Apple's Leidseplein retail store in Amsterdam in 2022.
Since filming inside an actual Apple Store was not possible, Netflix and the production team behind "iHostage" reconstructed a full-scale replica of the Amsterdam location. The recreation was designed to match the original Apple Store's layout and architecture, using advanced virtual production techniques to replicate the store's surrounding environment.
To build the replica, the production team constructed the interior set on a soundstage, surrounded by a high-resolution LED wall. This display allowed the filmmakers to render a photorealistic virtual version of the Leidseplein area in real-time, simulating outdoor lighting, reflections, and movement visible through the store's large glass façade. This technique has been popularized by productions such as Disney's "The Mandalorian," enabling dynamic camera movement and lighting changes without requiring location shooting. Apple's store design and branding were faithfully recreated based on publicly available references, floorplans, and photographs.
The real-life incident occurred on February 22, 2022, when a 27-year-old armed man entered the Amsterdam Apple Store and took a customer hostage with a firearm, claiming he had explosives. The perpetrator demanded €200 million (approximately $227 million at the time) in cryptocurrency and a safe exit. Dutch authorities responded by cordoning off the area and deploying special police units. Over 70 people were evacuated from the building during the five-hour standoff, including customers and employees who had concealed themselves in storage spaces and other rooms. "iHostage" is available to watch on Netflix now.
Popular Stories
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports.
iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
