Chicago Filming Locations are quite famous as many fascinating storylines have come to life on the big screen and feature places in Chicago, Illinois, as the backdrop.
The Dark Knight
Director Christopher Nolan transformed Chicago into Gotham City for “The Dark Knight.”
The former IBM building at 330 N. Wabash Ave. served as the headquarters for Wayne Enterprises.
The chase scenes were shot in the downtown area on Lower Wacker Drive.
Scene from “The Dark Knight”
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Scene from “The Dark Knight”
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The bank robbery scene happens at the Old Chicago Main Post Office.
Scene from “The Dark Knight”
The Blues Brothers
“The Blues Brothers” features several iconic Chicago locations. One of them is Ray’s Music Exchange and the E. 95th St. Bridge.
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Scene from “The Blues Brothers”
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When Jake and Elwood met Ray Charles in the film, they were at Shelly’s Loan and Jewelry Company at 300 E. 47th St. on Chicago’s South Side.
Scene from “The Blues Brothers”
Other filming sites include City Hall, the South Shore Cultural Center, Jackson Park, Old Joliet Prison Park, and the Soul Food Cafe.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Downtown Chicago is the setting for a battle between the Decepticons and Autobots.
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This city is prominently featured in “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” including shots of Trump International Hotel & Tower.
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The Fugitive
Protagonist Richard Kimble’s home is in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The main character in “The Fugitive” ultimately goes on the run through downtown Chicago, where he passes several landmarks, like the Picasso statue in Daley Plaza and the Chicago Hilton Hotel:
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Scene from “The Fugitive”
Image via Chicago Tribune
Cook County Hospital Administration Building also makes an appearance.
Scene from “The Fugitive”
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
You can see plenty of the Chicago skyline in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
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Sites include the Art Institute of Chicago and the Skydeck Chicago Ledge at Willis Tower.
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Characters also visit the Chicago Board of Trade.
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Ferris’s best friend Cameron’s house is at 370 Beech St. in Highland Park.
Scene from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
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The trio views art at the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Scene from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
They also attend a game at Wrigley Field.
High Fidelity
In “High Fidelity,” Rob Gordon goes on a journey and visits many sites in uptown Chicago, including Roscoe Village, the Green Mill located uptown, and Music Box Theatre in Lakeview. The theater still hosts a range of events.
Scene from “High Fidelity”
Scene from “High Fidelity”
Scene from “High Fidelity”
Image via Chicago Tribune
The Vow
Two characters marry in Millennium Park in “The Vow.”
Scene from “The Vow”
Space Jam
A basketball team plays at the United Center in “Space Jam.”
Scene from “Space Jam”
Home Alone
The McCallister home prominently featured in “Home Alone” is in Winnetka, a suburb of Chicago.
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The family also runs through Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
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The Color of Money
In “The Color of Money,” the main character runs Chicago pool halls with his star student, and Chris’s Billiards is visible in the background. A tournament also took place in a ballroom at Navy Pier.
Scene from “The Color of Money”
The Untouchables
Chicago is the setting of “The Untouchables,” featuring scenes at Union Station in the Loop, the Chicago Board of Trade, the Rookery Building, the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University, the Blackstone Hotel, and the Michigan Avenue Bridge.
Scene from “The Untouchables”
Image via Chicago Tribune
Public Enemies
One key Chicago landmark featured in “Public Enemies” is the Biograph Theater in Lincoln Park.
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The theater is the actual site of the death of John Dillinger, the notorious gangster played by Johnny Depp in the film.
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Scene from “Public Enemies”
My Best Friend’s Wedding
O’Hare International Airport is also featured in “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” as is Union Station.
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The Break-Up
The opening scene of “The Break-Up” takes place at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
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Later in the film, several characters visit a bar, and those scenes took place at Pilsen’s Skylark, which is near the Hotel Zachary.
Scene from “The Break-Up”
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Groundhog Day
In nearby Woodstock, you’ll spot familiar scenes from “Groundhog Day.”
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The bed and breakfast is still there.
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A League of Their Own
In “A League of Their Own,” the players in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League tried out at Harvey Field, which was represented by Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Scene from “A League of Their Own”
Scene from “A League of Their Own”
Chicago Fire
“Chicago Fire” is a TV show focused on the inner workings of the Engine 18 Chicago fire station.
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The program is filmed at an actual, working firehouse on Blue Island Ave.
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Nothing in Common
“Nothing in Common” features scenes filmed at Northwestern University in nearby Evanston.
Scene from “Nothing in Common”
Shameless
Most of “Shameless” is filmed at a studio in Los Angeles, but the cast and production team visit Chicago for several weeks each year to capture footage and gain insights into the setting of the story.
Flatliners
In “Flatliners,” The Museum of Science and Industry represented the Taft Building in the storyline.
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Risky Business
In “Risky Business,” Tom Cruise slid across the hardwood floors in a house in Highland Park.
Scene from “Risky Business”
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Return to Me
In the film, “Return to Me,” several of the characters spend quite a bit of time at O’Reilly’s Italian Restaurant, although the actual setting of that eatery was Twin Anchors, a restaurant in Lincoln Park.
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Road to Perdition
In “Road to Perdition,” you can see the LaSalle Street Bridge that runs over the Chicago River.
Scene from “Road to Perdition”
Scene from “Road to Perdition”
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Adventures in Babysitting
In “Adventures in Babysitting,” the building at 150 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago was used as the setting for a pivotal scene.
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Thief
“Thief” offers a gritty portrayal of the city, showcasing a jewelry thief as he escapes to his bar.
Scene from “Thief”
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Image via Chicago Tribune
The Hunter
The Marina Towers are well-known landmarks in Chicago, and they were prominently featured in “The Hunter” when a character’s car flies out of one tower.
Scene from “The Hunter”
Ocean’s Eleven
Characters in “Ocean’s Eleven” meet at Emmit’s Irish Pub in River West.
Image via Chicago Tribune
When Harry Met Sally
The gothic-style architecture of the University of Chicago is visible in “When Harry Met Sally.”
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Image via Chicago Tribune
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
The “L” train is featured in “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,” as two of the main characters ride the train before experiencing an epiphany that leads to a main scene in the storyline.
Drinking Buddies
In “Drinking Buddies,” you can see a number of spots in Wicker Park, including The Empty Bottle and Revolution Brewing, a Chicago-based brewery.
Scene from “Drinking Buddies”
Backdraft
“Backdraft,” one of the most popular firefighter-focused thriller films was filmed in Chicago, capturing elements of the city’s political culture, blue-collar spirit, and corruption.
Scene from “Backdraft”
Scene from “Backdraft”
Hoop Dreams
“Hoop Dreams” is a Chicago-set documentary that highlights two Black teenagers on the South Side.
Chi-Raq
Spike Lee directed “Chi-Raq,” a film that highlights one of the city’s nicknames due to the violence that impacts portions of Chicago.
Scene from “Chi-Raq”
Candyman
“Candyman” is a horror film set in the Cabrini Green Housing Projects.
Want more? Check out this library of Chicago filming locations or the comprehensive list of Chicago locations used for filming.
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