New Series “Special Ops: Lioness” Filmed at Fort Ritchie in Cascade, Maryland

This article was updated with additional information about filming locations from Special Ops: Lioness. Many thanks to Landon Grove from the Ritchie History Museum for this important information.

CASCADE, MD News (7/23/2023) – The new Paramount+ series Special Ops: Lioness has been receiving rave reviews from critics and viewers alike. The series follows Cruz (portrayed by Laysla De Oliveira), a female Marine who is tasked with befriending the daughter of a suspected terrorist in order to infiltrate his terrorist cell under the guidance of Joe (portrayed by Zoe Saldana), a female CIA agent responsible for Cruz during the mission. Many of the scenes for the series were filmed at Fort Ritchie, the former military base in Cascade, Maryland.

Fort Ritchie was decommissioned in 1998, but it has since been used as a filming location for several movies and television shows, including Special Ops: Lioness.

Fans of the series who are interested in visiting some of the filming locations in person can do so by visiting Fort Ritchie. The fort is now a popular tourist destination, and it offers a variety of activities that allow visitors to learn about the fort’s history and also see some of the places where Special Ops: Lioness was filmed at the same time. The Ritchie Museum is also now open, allowing visitors to learn even more about the history of the fort, as well as World War II and the Korean War.

Special Ops: Lioness utilized approximately ten different locations within Fort Ritchie, Maryland, for its filming. Building 102, which is destined to become the taproom of Fort Ritchie in the future, was transformed to film a crucial Barracks Scene. Paramount Studios dedicated several months to prepare for the filming process, resulting in two significant changes: the doors of the Fort Ritchie Finger buildings were painted red, and a refurbished “Historic Fort Ritchie” sign was installed on the property.

The first several episode features several scenes of Fort Ritchie as “Fort Bragg”, including the parade grounds and main road with the fort’s “finger buildings”.

Other scenes included a Battered Woman’s shelter, which was filmed inside the Fort Ritchie Community Center, and a testing center, which found its setting inside the new Ritchie History Museum before its official opening. Numerous outdoor training scenes were also captured at the Fort during the last week of October 2022. Notably, the Fort Ritchie Commissary can be spotted in the background of the show’s trailer, and the Fort itself boasts prominent visibility in the first and second episodes, adding to the authenticity and allure of Special Ops: Lioness.

Visitors can also discover amazing local food through the Fort Ritchie Farmers Market, which occurs on a monthly basis. The following are the dates for 2023:

• Friday, July 28th
• Friday August 25th
• Friday, September 22nd
• Saturday, October 21st

Learn more at Ritchie Revival’s website.

Article by Ken Buckler, President of RFHC.