Peacock’s M.I.A. dropped all nine episodes on May 7, 2026, and the show’s sun-baked, neon-soaked atmosphere has viewers asking one question above all others: where was it actually filmed? The short answer is South Florida, and the longer answer is just as satisfying. Unlike most Miami-set dramas that quietly relocate production to Los Angeles or the Dominican Republic, M.I.A. was shot on location across Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and the Florida Keys. That decision to stay in the city it depicts is a big part of why the show looks and feels the way it does.
What is M.I.A. on Peacock?
M.I.A. is a nine-episode crime thriller created by Bill Dubuque, the writer and co-creator behind Ozark, with Karen Campbell (Dexter, Outlander) serving as showrunner. The title is a double reference: it stands for Missing in Action, and it nods to Miami International Airport’s well-known airport code, both of which fit the story perfectly.
The series follows Etta Tiger Jonze, a young woman from the Florida Keys whose family runs a drug operation as a front behind a legitimate marina and wildlife tour business. When the cartel they work for turns on them and massacres her entire family, Etta is left with nothing except a list of 12 targets for revenge. What begins as a mission to avenge her family slowly evolves into something bigger, as Etta navigates Miami’s criminal networks involving Latino, Haitian, and Russian factions, building a chosen family along the way.
Shannon Gisela leads the cast as Etta, with Cary Elwes, Danay Garcia, Brittany Adebumola, Dylan Jackson, Alberto Guerra, Maurice Compte, Gerardo Celasco, and Marta Milans as series regulars. Guest stars include Edward James Olmos, Billy Burke, Sonia Braga, Loretta Devine, and Tovah Feldshuh.
Where was M.I.A. Filmed?
M.I.A. was filmed across South Florida, with the majority of production taking place in Miami, Florida. Principal photography began around April 2025 and wrapped in late August 2025, a shoot of approximately four to five months.
The production used real streets, real neighborhoods, and real water to build its visual world. Danay Garcia, who plays Leah, described the experience of filming in Miami as transformative:
"You can't fight the heat; you have to be hot. And that's how these characters are. You're in the environment, so you just have to embrace what comes, the salt, the grit, and bring that into your performance." She recalled one night shoot with particular vividness: "We were in the water at 3:00 in the morning. I thought, 'Wow, I would never put myself here on a normal night.'"
Marta Milans, another cast member, was equally direct about why the Miami setting matters: “The boat chases, the helicopter chases, that’s only going to happen in Miami.”
| Region | Role in the Production |
|---|---|
| Miami, Florida (Miami-Dade County) | Primary filming hub for urban and studio scenes |
| Broward County and Fort Lauderdale | Secondary location for architecture, waterfront, and property scenes |
| Hollywood, Florida | Beach and suburban Miami sequences |
| Florida Keys and Key Largo | Opening family scenes and coastal/boat sequences |
Was M.I.A. actually filmed in Miami?
Yes, and that is one of the most notable things about the production. M.I.A. is one of the few Miami-set crime dramas to have actually been produced there.
| Show | Set in Miami | Actually Filmed in Miami |
|---|---|---|
| M.I.A. (2026) | Yes | Yes |
| Miami Vice (original) | Yes | Yes |
| Ballers | Yes | Yes |
| Dexter | Yes | No (primarily Los Angeles) |
| Griselda | Yes | No (Dominican Republic) |
| Hotel Cocaine | Yes | No (Dominican Republic) |
| Burn Notice | Yes | Yes |
Shows like Dexter, Griselda, Hotel Cocaine, and Burn Notice have historically used stand-in cities for the bulk of their filming, with the Dominican Republic and Long Beach, California appearing regularly as Miami substitutes. Some productions only return to Miami for aerial and exterior establishing shots.
M.I.A. made a deliberate choice to stay. According to Deadline, the show “has the distinction of being one of the few shows set in Miami that was also produced there.” Other notable exceptions include Miami Vice, Ballers, and Burn Notice, all of which shot substantially in the city.
M.I.A. Filming Locations
| Location | Area | What It Represents |
|---|---|---|
| EUE Screen Gems Studio, 50 NW 14th St | Miami, FL | Interior and controlled production sequences |
| Miami streets and neighborhoods | Miami-Dade County | Core urban crime drama sequences |
| Las Olas Boulevard | Fort Lauderdale, Broward County | Architecture and waterfront scenes |
| 525 Southwest 5th Street | Fort Lauderdale, Broward County | Private property scenes |
| Hollywood, Florida | Miami metro suburb | Beach and supplementary urban scenes |
| Key Largo and Florida Keys | Monroe County | Opening family and coastal sequences |
Miami, Florida (Miami-Dade County)
Miami itself served as the backbone of the entire production. Street scenes, action sequences, and the neon-lit nightlife glimpsed throughout the series were all captured across the city’s real neighborhoods. Miami’s Art Deco architecture, coastal roads, and urban energy provided a range of backdrops across all nine episodes.
For indoor and technically complex sequences, the production based itself at EUE Screen Gems, a purpose-built studio facility located at 50 Northwest 14th Street in Miami. The studio hosted controlled environments for scenes that required precise camera and lighting setups, while the streets and beaches just outside provided the organic, lived-in texture the show is known for.
Broward County and Fort Lauderdale
The production also filmed extensively in Broward County, just north of Miami. Fort Lauderdale features prominently, with Las Olas Boulevard serving as a key shooting location. The boulevard, which runs from Southwest 1st Avenue in the Central Business District out to Fort Lauderdale Beach along Florida State Road A1A, is well known for its historic architecture, waterfront views, and tree-lined streets. It added a different visual character to scenes set away from central Miami.
The crew was also seen at a private property at 525 Southwest 5th Street, and additional filming took place across the Hollywood suburb of Miami, a coastal town with its own distinct beachside character and arts scene.
Florida Keys and Key Largo
Etta’s story begins in the Florida Keys, and the production used the actual Keys to shoot those early episodes. The mangrove coastlines, marina settings, and open water sequences that establish who Etta is before her world collapses were captured in the real Key Largo area. These locations gave the opening episodes their distinct tropical, sunlit atmosphere before the story moves north into Miami’s darker world.
Behind the scenes
The decision to film M.I.A. in Miami rather than a cheaper or more convenient stand-in city came directly from the creative vision of the series. Creator Bill Dubuque and showrunner Karen Campbell wanted the show to reflect what Miami actually looks and sounds like, including its multicultural communities, its heat, its water, and its particular brand of criminal geography.
The cast echoed that intention repeatedly. Shannon Gisela noted that the show “doesn’t try too hard to be Miami,” and attributed much of that quality to actually shooting on location with a real Miami crew. The bilingual dialogue throughout the series, the representation of Latin and Haitian communities, and the way the city itself shapes the action sequences all reflect a production that committed fully to its setting.
The trade-off was that Miami is a logistically challenging place to film. The heat is unrelenting, the water sequences require significant safety infrastructure, and the city’s busy streets do not simply stop for a camera crew. For the cast and crew, filming in the ocean at 3 a.m. was part of the job description.
How to visit the actual locations?
Most of the locations used in M.I.A. are fully accessible to visitors and are well-known South Florida destinations in their own right.
| Location | How to Visit |
|---|---|
| Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale | Open public street with shops, restaurants, and waterfront access |
| Fort Lauderdale Beach (State Road A1A) | Public beach, free to access |
| Key Largo, Florida Keys | Accessible by road via US-1, popular tourist destination |
| Miami Art Deco neighborhoods (South Beach) | Walkable public streets, free to explore |
| Hollywood Beach, Hollywood FL | Public beach boardwalk, no entry fee |
About the Show
M.I.A. is produced by MRC Television (Media Rights Capital) and distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Alethea Jones directed the first two episodes, with Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Marizee Almas, Ben Semanoff, and John Dahl directing the remaining seven. The series received a straight-to-series order from Peacock in August 2024, making it one of the platform’s biggest crime drama investments of the year. The pilot episode also aired on NBC on May 14, 2026, extending the show’s reach beyond Peacock subscribers.
