Tom And Jerry And 9 More TV Shows & Movies That Feature Cameos By Singapore

Tom and Jerry are finally in Singapore…on TV, that is.

In a historic first, the latest iteration of the iconic cartoon series is set in Singapore. The first episode, ‘What’s That Smell?’, was launched on Monday (Aug 7) by Warner Bros Discovery, just in time for National Day. The rest of the series will be out on Cartoon Network and HBO Go later this year.

The three-and-a-half minute short kicks off with a shot of Marina Bay Sands Skypark and Singapore Flyer — instant brand recognition! — in the background, before the camera pans right to a private condo where Tom and Jerry feud — and eventually reconcile — over the pungent fragrance of durians. Tom loves durians; Jerry loathes them. (Quick question: Why isn’t the story set inside a HBD flat? one might ask. Probably because cat ownership in flats is still a no-no? Just saying.) 

This isn’t the first time Singapore is featured in a children’s show. Ultraman and Mickey Mouse have ‘visited’ us before. Singapore has also been showcased in countless anime series. 

That said, Tom and Jerry’s Singapore exploit also has us thinking about the movies and TV shows that featured (or referenced) Singapore but instead of shooting here (like Crazy Rich Asians, Hitman: Agent 47, and Little Women), they recreate this island-city state of ours in backlots with the help of computers and stock footage. Here are a few movies and TV shows that did just that. This list is by no means exhaustive (we can do this all day) but it gives us an idea of how creative filmmakers can get in depicting Singapore (the easiest way is just to plonk the MBS B-rolls somewhere) …

1. Plane (2023)

Gerard Butler plays a Singapore-based commercial pilot forced to land his crippled passenger aircraft on a militia-occupied island in the Philippines. In the first act, supposedly set in Singapore, Butler is seen approaching an airport security screener, but what do we see in the background? A lightbox billboard featuring what looks like Taipei 101. Er, did the producers mistake Singapore for Taiwan? Maybe it’s just a Taiwan Tourism Bureau ad. We need to flip a coin to decide. FYI: The movie was filmed in Puerto Rico. on iTunes & Google Play

2. Extraction 2  (2023)

Singapore isn’t seen in the Chris Hemsworth-led actioner but its presence is still felt. (Can STB use that as a tagline in its promo assets?) What do you need to help a family get away from a Georgian crime syndicate as far as possible? You get them Singapore passports — the most powerful passports in the world, per Henley Passport Index. Director Sam Hargrave told 8days.sg: “It was a logical step for our characters to illicitly construct Singapore passports for the family so they could travel to a lot of places without a lot of hassle.” on Netflix

3. Archer (2021)

In the Season 12 ep ‘Colt Express’, Archer and Co. find themselves in Singapore, where one character, an amnesiac scientist (voiced by Eric Andre) discovers where he lives. “1 Bukit Batok Street 25, Singapore 658882. That’s my address, I lived here,” he reveals. Turns out the address does exist. In fact, it was the childhood home address of local singer Joie Tan. When Tan asked the episode’s writer Alison Zeidman via Instagram why she picked that address, the scribe replied: “I don’t remember exactly what my thinking was as far as looking in that particular neighbourhood, but I do remember wanting to include some authentic details and looking at how addresses are listed there”. on Netflix

4. House (2007)

The Season 3 ep, 'Airborne', is kinda sorta set in Singapore. House (Hugh Laurie) and Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) are making their way back to the US after a medical convention in Singapore. But they board the plane at Serapong International Airport. Huh? Are they referring to Serapong in Malacca? Or Fort Serapong on Sentosa? Doesn’t matter. There's no airport in either place. It gets better: a patient on the plane suffers from decompression sickness after diving with a company called Tekong (pronounced 'Tee-kong' by House) Scuba Rental. Is that a reference to Pulau Tekong? And isn't that place off-limits to civilians? on Prime Video

5. G Storm (2021)

Okay, this isn’t a Hollywood production but we need to talk about it. The latest chapter in the Hong Kong anti-corruption franchise, starring Louis Koo, Kevin Cheng and Jessica Hsuan, opens with a conference in Singapore. Er, not exactly. Even though the producers used stock footage of our city skyline, they chose to call it some Southeast Asian metropolis called W City. Really? We sound like an electric appliance store. on Disney+

6. V (2011)

Aliens invade Earth! On the Season 2 finale of the sci-fi series (a remake of the 1980s cult classic), we have a 12-sec cameo as one of the many cities infected by the aliens' mind control spell. The scene was shot using stock footage and green screen, with a random bunch of people pretending they’re on the observation deck of the Marina Bay Sands Skypark, where they have front-row seats to the end of the world. Where’s Ultraman when you need him?!

7. Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

Aliens invade Earth Part II! When Roland Emmerich was in Singapore in 2013 to promote White House Down, he said he’d love to 'blow up' the Marina Bay Sands Skypark, on screen, that is. Three years later, he got his wish: In his Independence Day sequel, hostile visitors demolish the Marina Bay skyline. The entire sequence was digitally concocted (duh), with Google maps used as a reference. "But [Emmerich] took some liberties and changed the city and buildings slightly for better composition in the sequence," SPFX supervisor Bryan Grill told CNA in 2016. on Disney+

8. A Quiet Place (2018)

Aliens Invade Earth Part III! Not sure if this counts as a cameo but it's our list and we can do whatever we want. Pay close attention to the whiteboard at the end (at the 1:23 mark) — it shows the time the aural-sensitive behemoths arrived on Earth on Oct 20, 2020. The scaly aliens touched down in Singapore at 7:47pm EST (or Oct 21, 7.47am SGT) — the story takes place in New York; five minutes earlier, they did a number on New Delhi. Listen, if Bird Box can spawn a spin-off (Bird Box: Barcelona), why can’t we have A Quiet Place: Singapore? Wouldn’t that be something? Can someone pitch this to John Krasinski and Michael Bay? on Netflix

9. Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2017)

Masterpiece! In the Season 2 ep, 'Cinderella and the Dragon', the FBI's International Response Team flies in to solve the murder of an American flight attendant. The episode was never filmed here; Singapore was recreated using stock footage and redressing locations around LA. The Changi International Airport scenes were shot at the Ontario International Airport. The ep was slammed for its risible inaccuracies — like calling Geylang "an overcrowded slum with a thriving underworld" and cheesy outdoor scenes of food vendors and festive red lanterns (tsk, tsk, tsk). Thanks to them, we also have a national proverb, "Where there is a sea, there are pirates." Just lovely. on Disney+