Did you know some pretty famous movies were filmed right here in the Northwest Suburbs? We left off popular Chicago-area classics like Home Alone and Risky Business because those were filmed primarily in the North Shore suburbs, not our neck of the woods. Here are 13 movies with real Northwest Suburban ties:
🎒 The Breakfast Club (1985) | Des Plaines
One of the most iconic teen movies ever made was filmed primarily at the former Maine North High School in Des Plaines. The school doubled as the fictional Shermer High School, and the famous library scenes were actually filmed on a set built inside the school's gym.
🏃 Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) | Des Plaines
Another John Hughes classic with a Des Plaines connection. Interior school scenes were filmed at the former Maine North High School, the same building used for The Breakfast Club.
🏈 Lucas (1986) | Arlington Heights
Much of this coming-of-age movie starring Corey Haim and a young Charlie Sheen was filmed at the former Arlington High School shortly after it closed. Both interior and exterior scenes featured the school.
⏰ Groundhog Day (1993) | Woodstock
Although the story takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, much of the movie was actually filmed in downtown Woodstock. The historic Woodstock Square is instantly recognizable throughout the Bill Murray classic, and several filming locations can still be visited today.
🕶️ The Blues Brothers (1980) | Park Ridge, Wauconda & Schiller Park
The legendary Chicago movie ventured into several Northwest Suburban communities. The first police traffic stop was filmed in Park Ridge, additional scenes were shot near Wauconda and Bangs Lake, and the Holiday Inn scene was filmed in Schiller Park.
😱 A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) | Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Barrington & Elgin
This remake might have one of the strongest Northwest Suburban connections on the list. Hersey High School was used for school interiors, Elk Grove High School for exterior shots, homes in Barrington appeared in the movie, and a funeral scene was filmed at Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin.
🦠 Contagion (2011) | Elgin
Years before the COVID-19 pandemic, this star-studded thriller filmed scenes at the former Sherman Hospital in Elgin. The building was transformed into a Minnesota medical center for the movie.
🎩 Road to Perdition (2002) | Barrington Hills & West Dundee
The Tom Hanks crime drama used a home in Barrington Hills as the Sullivan family's house. Additional scenes were filmed in nearby downtown West Dundee, giving the area a starring role in this Depression-era story.
🚂 Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) | Woodstock
The beloved Steve Martin and John Candy comedy also spent time filming in Woodstock. Scenes were shot around the historic courthouse and downtown Square, making Woodstock a repeat Hollywood destination.
👦 Dennis the Menace (1993) | Elgin
Parts of this family comedy were filmed in and around Elgin, including scenes near the railroad area around Irving Park Road and Rohrssen Road. The movie was produced by Chicago-area filmmaking legend John Hughes.
⚡ Chain Reaction (1996) | Barrington Hills
Keanu Reeves and Morgan Freeman brought some Hollywood action to Barrington Hills for this 1990s thriller. Parts of the movie were filmed in the area, giving the Northwest Suburbs another big-name movie connection.
🍷 Blood and Wine (1996) | Schaumburg, Arlington Heights & Buffalo Grove
This crime thriller starring Jack Nicholson and Jennifer Lopez filmed scenes across several Northwest Suburbs, including Schaumburg, Arlington Heights and Buffalo Grove. That’s a pretty impressive local footprint for one movie.
🍀 The Lucky Ones (2008) | Arlington Heights & Barrington
Starring Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins and Michael Peña, this road-trip drama filmed portions of the movie in Arlington Heights and Barrington, adding two more familiar local spots to the big screen.
