Movies That You May Not Know Were Filmed in Georgia

With it's beautiful and diverse landscape, the state of Georgia has been a favorite destination for vacationers for decades. It's also been discovered as a great destination for making movies! Here's a list of well-known movies that you might not know were filmed in Georgia.

Photo byRalf Roletschek (via wikipedia)

Need For Speed

Photography for this 2014 action movie began in Macon, Georgia. Other locations included Road Atlanta in Brazelton, and the 13th Street Bridge that spans the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia to Phoenix City, Alabama.

Pet Semetary II

Although this 1992 Sequel was met with some bad reviews, it turned out to be a very successful movie - grossing over 17 million dollars worldwide. It was filmed in Coweta, County, Georgia.

Superman (Scheduled for release in 2025)

The next big DC Comics superhero film is coming out next summer with plans for release on July 11, 2025. Filmed entirely in IMAX, locations include Trillith Studios in Atlanta and Macon, Georgia.

Taken 3

This movie cost $48 million to make - with almost half the budget, $20 million, paid to lead actor, Liam Neeson. Over the course of two days, several scenes were filmed at Newton College and Career Academy. Additional scenes were filmed in Atlanta.

Greased Lightning

This 1977 Richard Pryor classic was filmed partially in Winder, Georgia; Athens, Georgia at the former Athens Speedway; Madison, Georgia; and Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia.

Zombieland

Described as a "post-apocalyptic zombie comedy film," it quickly became the top-grossing zombie film in history in less than 20 days after opening. Parts of the movie were filmed in several places in Georgia: Hapeville, Morrow, Decatur, Newnan, Powder Springs, and Atlanta.

AtlantaPhoto byRonny SisononUnsplash

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

This sequel to the original Black Panther Movie was the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Filming began at Trillith Studios in Atlanta in 2021 and continued in fall of 2022 at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick. Most of the filming was done at night aboard a 300 ft cruise ship near the Brunswick Landing Marina.

Abraham Lincoln Vs. Zombies

This 2012 B Movie has become a cult classic in the zombie movie genre. It was shot almost entirely in Georgia using local talent. Savannah and Fort Pulaski were chosen for filming scenes where Lincoln confronted zombies who had overtaken a Confederate stronghold.

Black Widow

Released in 2021, this superhero film based on Marvel Comics featured Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow. Filming locations in Georgia included Rome, Atlanta, and Macon, where the Terminal Station was used to film scenes that were supposed to be in Albany, New York.

Savannah, GeorgiaPhoto byColton JonesonUnsplash

Cape Fear (original version)

Who could forget this classical 1962 suspense thriller starring Gregory Peck? Most of the original film was made in Savannah, Georgia. The 1992 sequel was mostly filmed in Florida.

Deliverance

Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox starred in this 1972 film that made grown men afraid of hearing banjo music! The movie was filmed primarily in Rabun County of northeast Georgia. The canoe scenes were filmed on the Chattooga River in the Tallulah Gorge.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Yes, we know Spongebob is an animated character. However, several in scenes in the movie are CGI with live-action scenes. Those scenes were filmed at Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia.

My Cousin Vinny

This 1992 comedy was set in neighboring Alabama but filmed almost entirely in Georgia. According to wikipedia, "Exterior filming was done near the town of Greensboro, Georgia; the exterior shots of the courthouse and the surrounding square were shot in Monticello, Georgia, and the courthouse scenes were shot in a set in Covington, Georgia. The prison scenes were shot in a real, working prison (Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto, Georgia) and the prisoners appearing as extras were actual convicts."

Avengers: Endgame

This was the 2019 direct sequel to the Marvel Comics superhero movie, Avengers: Infinity War. The movie was filmed in the Gulch area of downtown Atlanta, near the Five Points MARTA station, in Piedmont Park, and at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County. Turin Fertilizer in Sharpsburg, Georgia, was used as the farm featured in the beginning of the film.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There were two places featured in the movie that you can actually visit in Georgia. The elevator of the Tributes’ Training Center is located in the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and the mansion of President Snow, the corrupt leader of Panem in the movie was filmed at the Atlanta History Center’s Swan House.

Footloose (remake)

The 2011 remake of this movie was almost exclusively filmed in Georgia. The church and home scenes were filmed in downtown Acworth - using the Presbyterian Church and the mayor's home. The courthouse scene was shot at the Newton County Historic Courthouse in Covington, Georgia, and the "chicken" scene on the road was filmed on the Chattahoochee River bridge in Franklin.

Add To The List!

These are only a few of the dozens of movies filmed in the beautiful state of Georgia. Did we leave out your favorite? Leave a note in the comments!

Click "follow" for more articles! April Killian is a native and resident of the Shoals area of northwest Alabama and shares stories about the unique places, people, and history of the southern U.S.. Have a story to tell? Email: april.newsbreak@gmail.com