Believe it or not, you’ve probably seen Massachusetts on the big screen! Massachusetts, especially the North Shore, has long been a spot for Hollywood produces and directors. The quintessential New England towns, the rocky shoreline, and historical landmarks make the perfect backdrop for any film, it seems.
You may often watch TV shows and movies and recognize a beach, building, or historical landmark and realize that Boston and the nearby North Shore are exceptionally good locations for movie-making!
Here are a few movies made recently using the backdrop of our charming little corner of the world.
Free Guy (2021)
Free Guy (2021)Filmed on our very own Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts, Free Guy tells the story of a bank teller (Guy played by Ryan Reynolds) who discovers that he is merely a background player in an open-world video game. He takes matters into his own hands to rewrite his character and save the world.
The movie is filmed in Revere for the beach scene as well as in Boston’s Financial District. Additionally, the film was shot in other Massachusetts locations like Worcester, Framingham, and Weymouth. Specific locations included the Framingham Savings Bank and the former Naval Air Station.
You can find Free Guy streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and AMC Theater on Demand.
Hubie Halloween (2020)
If you love the Adam Sandler/Kevin James duo, this locally filmed movie is for you. Hubie Halloween tells the story of Hubie Dubois (played by Sandler) in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. Although he is devoted to his hometown he is often mocked and ridiculed by its townspeople. However, during this year’s Halloween celebration Hubie must save the day and his beloved town!
Although the plot of the movie is set in Salem, Massachusetts, most of the scenes were filmed in nearby Danvers, Marblehead, and Beverly. Entire neighborhoods were transformed from typical streets into elaborately decorated Halloween homes. You can find Hubie Halloween streaming on Netflix.
Coda (2021)
Coda (2021) Coda was the Oscar Award Winning Best Picture of 2022 and won more awards than any film in Sundance history. Coda, which stands for Child of Deaf Adults, tells the story of teenager Ruby Rossi (played by Emilia Jones), as she comes of age as the only hearing member of her fishing family based out of Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her own passion for music and helping her family whose livelihood is being threatened by fishing industry regulators. In the end, her parents recognize her need to flourish at singing at the renowned Berklee School of Music as they learn to navigate a world without their primary translator.
Coda was filmed on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and can be found streaming on Apple TV.
Don’t Look Up (2021)
Nominated for several Oscars, this satirical comedy tells the story of two lower-level astronomers played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as they try to warn the world of a world-ending comet. The media and political scrutiny as they forge ahead to convince the President (played by Meryl Streep) to take action.
Don’t Look Up was filmed in Boston in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and is streaming exclusively on Netflix.