Hollywood, without a doubt, is the most influential movie industry globally. While it might be a common idea that most movies originate from Hollywood, California, this is not always the norm. In this article, you’ll find some of your best movies filmed at the heart of Michigan. And that this state also has various locations for shooting action movies, whether in rural or urban areas. Let’s get right into it!
Roger & Me (1989)
Roger and Me was that beautiful start to Michael Moore’s career, and the movie highlights his adventures as a filmmaker born and raised in Flint, Michigan. The film tells of his struggles when his workplace – General Motors, the biggest automotive manufacturing company in the state – suddenly closes eleven of its plants and lays off thousands of its workers. The movie is set on Moore’s quest to find out what the cause of this might have been.
Red Dawn (2012)
In a North Korean invasion on U.S. soil, a returning Iraq war Veteran (Chris Hemsworth) allies with a group of young persons to create a group of freedom fighters. Red Dawn was shot in 2012 and is one of the top famous action movies that tells a story of heroism and patriotism. The group formed a team called Wolverines and launched several attacks at the invaders, pushing forward despite their small numbers. It was shot in Mount Clemens, Michigan.
Beverly Hills Cop (Part I and III)
The best words to describe the Beverly Hills Cop franchise would be action, comedy, and crime. Both movies were shot in Detroit, Michigan, and detail the story of a police officer, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy), who finds himself deeply immersed in the cultures of Michigan while playing detective and stopping several crimes. Some of these include the murder of his very close friend, stopping gangs of counterfeits, and more. Despite the drama, one of the main highlights of the series remains Eddie Murphy’s undefeatable humor.
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
Assault on Precinct 13 details the life of a police officer, Lieutenant Ethan Bishop, who gets caught in the crossfire of gang crime. After the LAPD kills some members of the famous South Central gang, Street Thunder, the other gang members decide to retaliate. This leads to a bloody war between them, the cops, and the citizens. As the tension grows, Bishop allies with a group of prisoners to defend the citizens and everyone else whose lives are in danger. Assault on Precinct 13 was mostly filmed in Detroit, Michigan, with Ontario, Canada in the mix.
Scream 4 (2011)
The majority of the scenes in Scream were shot in Ann Arbor, which is probably the most popular location for movie production in Michigan, following Detroit. It stars Sidney Prescott (Campbell) in a thriller that pays homage to the original Scream movie from 1996. The plot –complete with mystery, humor, and thrills – highlights Campbell’s return to town, accompanied by the return of the psychotic killer, Ghostface.
Need for Speed (2014)
Need for Speed is an action-thriller movie set in the world of cars and racing that takes viewers on a trip through Detroit, Michigan. The racing scenes feature the city’s most beautiful landmarks and sceneries, with high-speed chases delivered to keep viewers glued to their seats.
Robocop (2014)
Robocop is a sci-fi movie about robotic technology, a multinational conglomerate called Omnicorp, and a police officer, Alex Murphy. The movie is set in the future, dating forward to 2028. OmniCorp gets approval to privatize the police force and begin testing out its robotic technology on the police force. They transform Alex Murphy, a seriously injured police officer, into a cyborg. The story centers around his journey fighting a corrupt system while struggling to retain his humanity as a RoboCop. The locations used while filming Robocop include Detroit, Michigan, and Hamilton, Canada.
Out of Sight (1998)
This movie helped break Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney out as top movie stars. It is a movie set in two beautiful locations, Florida and Michigan. “Out of Sight” features Jacke Foley (George Clooney) as a famous bank robber who bursts out of prison and falls in love with a federal marshal, Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). The movie is about risks, passion, and finding love in unexpected places. Out of Sight stands strong with a 94% rating on the Tomatometer.
Bottom Line
There are a handful of movies shot in Michigan. As the list goes on, you’ll realize how much of a unique shooting location the state is, with many of these movies set in Detroit. If you need amazing locations for your shoots outside of Hollywood or California, Michigan could be an excellent option to explore. This could also inspire you to watch these movies again or visit the state with friends or loved ones.
