Films shot in Alabama include productions from mid-twentieth-century classics to recent features, using the state’s towns, cities, beaches and landmarks. The Alabama Living article “Hollywood Loves Alabama” dates the state’s film history to 1949, when Twelve O’Clock High was shot at Fort Rucker in Dale County, and says Alabama has been a backdrop hundreds of times since.[1]
| Earliest film cited | Twelve O’Clock High (1949), Fort Rucker |
|---|---|
| Mobile | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977); Get Out (2017) |
| Wetumpka | Big Fish (2003) |
| Huntsville | Space Camp (1986) |
| Talladega | Talladega Nights (2006) |
| Opelika | Norma Rae (1979) |
Film history and support
The Alabama Film Commission has a media location coordinator who helps productions find crews, equipment rentals and filming sites, and the North Alabama Film Office, created by the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, connects filmmakers with the region. Local hotels, restaurants and small businesses benefit from productions.[1]
Notable films by location
Mobile and the Gulf Coast. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) was filmed in Bay Minette, Fairhope and at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, and Get Out (2017) in Fairhope and Mobile. The battleship USS Alabama was the main location for USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016) and stood in for the USS Missouri in Under Siege (1992).[1][2][3]
Films set in Alabama but shot elsewhere
Not every Alabama story was filmed in the state. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) had some scenes shot in Monroeville but was mostly filmed on a small town built on the Universal backlot in Hollywood, and it received eight Academy Award nominations and won three.[4] Sources differ on the year of Selma, giving 2014 or 2019, and on how much was shot in Alabama, with most filming reported in Atlanta.[3] Several Alabama books were adapted for film; see Literature of Alabama.
Early productions
Twelve O’Clock High (1949) at Fort Rucker is called the start of filmmaking in Alabama. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) used the Mobile area, including old Brookley Air Force Base and the L&N depot in Bay Minette, and Norma Rae (1979) was shot in Opelika. Space Camp (1986) was partly filmed at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and Under Siege (1992) used USS Alabama in Mobile as the USS Missouri.[5]
Wetumpka and central Alabama
The Grass Harp (1995), The Rosa Parks Story (2002) and Son of the South (2020) filmed in Wetumpka, and Big Fish (2003) used Wetumpka as the town of Ashton along with Millbrook, Lowndesboro, Montgomery and Deatsville. Talladega Nights (2006) and Stroker Ace (1983) filmed at Talladega Superspeedway, and 42 (2012) at Rickwood Field.[5]
Recent productions and support
Selma used the Edmund Pettus Bridge and downtown Selma. USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016) used USS Alabama, and Get Out (2017), Heist, Vice, Lansky and About My Father were among Mobile-area productions. The Alabama Film Commission has a Media Location Coordinator who helps find crew, equipment and locations, and the Mobile Film Office and North Alabama Film Office connect filmmakers to local areas. Productions bring quick benefits to hotels, restaurants and small businesses.[5]
FAQs
Was To Kill a Mockingbird filmed in Alabama? Some scenes were shot in Monroeville, but most was filmed on a Hollywood backlot.
Where can I find a full list of Alabama-filmed movies? The Alabama Living article points readers to the Alabama Film Commission website.
Sources
- Alabama Living: Hollywood loves Alabama
- Stacker: Which movies were filmed in Alabama?
- Alabama Living: Hollywood loves Alabama
- Main Street Alabama: 6 Alabama towns where famous movies were filmed
- Alabama Living: Hollywood loves Alabama
More in Arts & Design
Key facts
- Twelve O’Clock High (1949) shot at Fort Rucker
- Big Fish (2003) shot in Wetumpka
- Close Encounters (1977) shot in the Mobile area
- To Kill a Mockingbird was mostly filmed on a backlot
Quick checkWhich Tim Burton film was shot mostly in Wetumpka?Show answer
Big Fish (2003).
Sources
- Alabama Living. Hollywood loves Alabama. 2025 (accessed 2026-11-10)
- Stacker. Which movies were filmed in Alabama?. n.d. (accessed 2026-11-10)
- CBS 42. Did you know these hit movies were made in Alabama?. n.d. (accessed 2026-11-10)
- Alabama Heritage. Alabama in the movies. n.d. (accessed 2026-11-10)
Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue