13 Movies You Might Not Know Were Filmed in New England

From historic landmarks to gorgeous coastlines, haunted pasts to beautiful scenery, New England is the perfect backdrop for films across a variety of genres.

Here are a few of our favorite films shot in New England, broken down by state:

New Hampshire

Jumanji (1995)

Keene

Remember when the animals stampede through the fictional town of Brantford? That’s Keene! You may even be able to recognize some of the town stores if you look closely. During filming, there was also a mural advertising Parrish Shoes but it was taken down after filming. Years later, the mural was repainted and served as a memorial after Robin Williams passed away.

The Good Son (1993)

Mirror Lake, Jackson

This is the movie that likely made you fear Macaulay Culkin. One of the reasons probably being the scene where his character takes his sister ice skating and attempts to kill her. This was filmed on Mirror Lake in Jackson.

Check out more awesome New Hampshire films here.

Maine

Shutter Island (2010)

Otter Cliff in Acadia National Park

Thanks to the majority of Stephen King’s novels being set in Maine, it’s the quintessential state for filming some really creepy scenes. The cliff scenes in Shutter Island were filmed here, although the movie was set off the coast of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Salem

If you grew up in the 1980s, you’ll probably remember this movie being on heavy rotation throughout the entire month of October. As a classic Halloween film, it’s no wonder why the filmmakers chose the forever-creepy town of Salem, Massachusetts. You can even take a walking tour that will show you other filming locations throughout Salem.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Boston Public Garden

One of the most notable movies to come out of Boston, Good Will Hunting was filmed in spots all over town. Matt Damon and Robin Williams’ characters share a memorable scene at the Boston Public Garden, which was also turned into a memorial after Williams passed away in 2014.

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

Newton

As the first of the Karate Kid movies to have a female lead, filmmakers moved from the West Coast to the East Coast to shoot scenes all over the Boston area. Most notably, scenes at Julia’s house were filmed in Newton.

Vermont

The Cider House Rules (1999)

Scott Farm in Dummerston

Technically this film was really shot all over New England, but scenes from Scott Farm in Dummerston really stand out. The film takes place in Maine during World War II, so you’ll see a lot of classic New England scenery.

Connecticut

Mystic Pizza (1988)

Mystic

Mystic Pizza is actually a real pizza restaurant in downtown Mystic, Connecticut. Most filming took place in or around Mystic but since the inside of the restaurant was so small, many scenes had to be filmed on a set.

Rhode Island

27 Dresses (2008), True Lies (1994), The Great Gatsby (1974)

Rosecliff Mansion in Newport

Rosecliff Mansion looks like an idyllic location for a royal wedding, so it’s no wonder why so many filmmakers choose it as the backdrop for their films’ most important scenes. From classic literature like The Great Gatsby to modern-day romcoms like 27 Dresses, Rosecliff Mansion is a setting that will definitely continue to be a highly coveted location for filmmakers.

Meet Joe Black (1998)

Aldrich Mansion, Warwick

Most of the country mansion scenes were filmed at Aldrich Mansion in Warwick, just south of Providence. The 19th-century property is still used today for weddings, conferences, fundraisers and other television and film productions.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Narragansett Bay

Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom was shot in various locations around Narragansett Bay, including Fort Wetherill, Trinity Church, Yawgoog Scout Reservation and Newport’s Ballard Park.

If you’re a sucker for New England films, be sure to join us for the 18th Annual New Hampshire Film Festival, October 11-14! We have an entire category of films from local New Hampshire filmmakers.