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List: 40 movies filmed in Tucson and southern Arizona
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List: 40 movies filmed in Tucson and southern Arizona

  • Arizona Daily Star
  • Sep 21, 2023
  • Sep 21, 2023 Updated May 22, 2026
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These movies were filmed in part in Tucson and surrounding areas from 1970 to today.

In addition to these more modern motion pictures, Old Tucson Studios has hosted nearly 300 productions since 1939. 

The Fabelmans (2022)

'The Fabelmans'

This image released by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment shows Gabriel LaBelle in a scene from "The Fabelmans." 

Merie Weismiller Wallace/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment via AP

Tucson locations: Tucson Mountain Park and the Sonoran Desert 

Cast: Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, Paul Dano, Judd Hirsch, Seth Rogen

Genre: Drama: Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker.

Tombstone (1993)

Tombstone

Kurt Russell stars as Wyatt Earp in "Tombstone" filmed at Old Tucson Studios in 1993. Copy photo taken at Quality Inn Flamingo in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday March 31, 2011.

Greg Bryan/Arizona Daily Star

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Babocomari Ranch in Sonoita, Texas Canyon, Little Dragoon Mountains, Skeleton Canyon, Empire Ranch in Sonoita, Elgin, Sonoran Desert, Chiricahua National Monument, San Simon Valley, Mescal, Tucson Mountains, San Pedro River, Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, Patagonia, Whetstone Mountains, Turkey Creek, Mount Lemmon, Fort Crittenden, Tucson, Harshaw, St. David, Granite Mountains in Prescott, Sierrita Mountains, Benson.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Tombstone was not a location for the movie shoot.

Cast: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton

Genre: Biography, drama, history: A dramatic retelling of the events leading to and following the famous Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Box office gross: $56.51 million

Almost Famous (2000)

Almost Famous

Amost Famous

HANDOUT / Dreamworks Pictures

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Ajo Highway, Tumacácori, Interstate 19, Amado, Tucson

Cast: Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson

Genre: Adventure, comedy, drama: A high schooler travels with a rock band for a story in Rolling Stone magazine.

Box office gross: $32.53 million

A Star is Born (1976)

Barbra Streisand Kris Kristofferson

In this Dec. 23, 1976, file photo, producer Jon Peters, from left, Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson appear at a preview of the film "A Star is Born" in New York. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson Convention Center, Pima County Courthouse, Old Tucson Studios, Sonoita and Tempe. 

Cast: Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Gary Busey, Oliver Clark

Genre: Drama, romance, musical: A has-been rock star falls in love with a young, up-and-coming songstress.

Box office gross: $80 million

Major League (1989)

Major League

The north side of Hi Corbett Field, 700 S. Randolph Way., in Tucson, Ariz. on January 23, 2020.

Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily Star

Tucson locations: Hi Corbett Field, Tucson

Cast: Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton

Genre: Comedy, sport: The new owner of the Cleveland Indians puts together a team she hopes will lose so she can move the team. The team disagrees.

Box office gross: $49.8 million

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Rows of B-52's sit on the hard desert soil in Tucson, Arizona. The dry air and hard soil are the two main reasons the "Boneyard" is located here. 

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson location: Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Boneyard

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson

Genre: Action, adventure Sci-fi: The Autobots and Decepticons battle in this sequel.

Box office gross: $402.11 million

Wild Wild West (1999)

Wild Wild West

Will Smith in a scene from the movie "Wild Wild West." 

Warner Bros. photo

Tucson location: Old Tucson

Cast: Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, Salma Hayek

Genre: Action, comedy sci-fi: Based on the old TV show of Secret Service agents after the Civil War.

Box office gross: $113.81 million

Public Enemies (2009)

Public Enemies

Johnny Depp stars as legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger, in "Public Enemies." (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Peter Mountain)

AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Peter Mountain

Tucson location: Congress Hotel front

Cast: Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, Christian Stolte, Jason Clarke

Genre: Action, biography, crime: Feds try to take down John Dillinger.

Box office gross: $97.1 million

Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

Can't buy Me Love

Patrick Dempsey (in his pre-“McDreamy” era) stars as a high school nerd trying to be a cool kid in “Can’t Buy Me Love.”

Courtesy the Loft Cinema

Tucson locations: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base boneyard, Scoops on Speedway, a house on North Hill Farm Drive, a house on North Christmas Avenue, The Loft Cinema, Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson High School, Tucson Mall, Arcade on Speedway, Speedway boulevard, Winterhaven neighborhood, Hill Farm

Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Peterson, Courtney Gains

Genre: Comedy, drama, romance: An outcast pays the most popular girl in school to be his girlfriend for a month.

Box office gross: $31.62 million

Young Guns (1988)

Young Guns

Main Street in Old Tucson in 1991.

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

Tucson locations: Old Tucson, Tucson, Sonoran Desert

Cast: Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen

Genre: Action, western: Young gunmen led by Billy the Kid become deputies and take their authority too far.

Box office gross: $45.66 million

Young Guns II (1990)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Bisbee, Sonoran Desert, San Rafael Ranch State Park in Patagonia, Tucson Mountains, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Sierrita Mountains, Warren, Tumacácori National Historical Park

Cast: Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christian Slater

Genre: Action, western: Patrick Floyd Garrett receives a bounty to kill Billy the Kid.

Box office gross: $44.14 million

Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Revenge of the Nerds

Actors Anthony Edwards, far right and Robert Carradine, center, stumble with their suitcases during a scene for the film, "Revenge of the Nerds." Photo taken: January 30, 1984. 

Alan Dorow / Arizona Daily Star

Tucson locations: Catalina Park Inn, Catalina Park, Bear Down Gym at the University of Arizona, Friends Meeting House on Fifth Avenue, University of Arizona, Cochise Hall at UA, Old Main at UA, Scottish Rite Temple on Scott Avenue, Old Tucson

Cast: Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Andrew Cassese

Genre: Comedy: A group of bullied college outcasts and misfits fight back.

Box office gross: $40.9 million

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

The Quick and the Dead

Extras for the movie "The Quick and the Dead," during filming at the Mescal Exit 297. 

A. E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Mescal, Sierrita Mountains, Sonoran Desert, Tucson Mountains, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Sonoita, Las Cienegas National Conservation Area

Cast: Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe

Genre: Action, romance, thriller: A female gunfighter enters a dueling tournament to avenge her father's death.

Box office gross: $18.64 million

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino in a scene from Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.

Handout / Walt Disney Studios

Tucson locations: Tucson streets

Cast: Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Carofalo

Genre: Comedy: Two dimwitted friends concoct an elaborate lie to impress classmates at their high school reunion.

Box office gross: $29.21 million

Stir Crazy (1980)

Stir Crazy

"Stir Crazy" filming at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds April 10, 1980. Citizen file photo by H. Darr Beiser.

Tucson Citizen photo

Tucson locations: Downtown, Tucson Rodeo Grounds, Pima Community College West Campus, former Whistle Stop bar on Craycroft Road, Pima County Courthouse; other Arizona locations: Arizona State Prison in Florence, Arizona

Cast: Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, Georg Stanford Brown, JoBeth Williams

Genre: Comedy: Two friends are set up and wrongfully accused of a crime they didn't commit.

Box office gross: $101.3 million

The Trial of Billy Jack (1974)

Tucson locations: Old Tucson Studios and Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Cast: Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor, Victor Izay, Teresa Kelly

Genre: Action, drama

Box office gross: $89 million

The Cannonball Run

Movie sets at Old Tucson in 2012.

A.E. Araiza/ Arizona Daily Star

The Cannonball Run (1981)

Tucson location: Old Tucson

Cast: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise

Genre: Action, comedy: Eccentric competitors participate in a cross-country road race.

Box office gross: $72.18 million

Three Kings

A scene from the movie, "Three Kings." (AP Photo/Warner Bros., Murray Close)

AP Photo/Warner Bros., Murray Close

Three Kings (1999)

Arizona locations: Tucson, Casa Grande. Sacaton Mine in Casa Grande, Yuma, Eloy, Sonoran Desert, Coolidge, Marana, Phoenix

Cast: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze

Genre: Action, adventure, comedy: After the Persian Gulf War, four soldiers plan to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait.

Box office gross: $60.65 million

The Postman (1997)

#9. The Postman (copy)

Release date: Dec. 25, 1997

Warner Bros.

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Sopori Ranch, Amado and Nogales

Cast: Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams 

Genre: Action, adventure, sci-fi: In post-apocalyptic America in the year 2013, an unnamed wanderer retrieves a postman's uniform and undelivered bag of mail, which he delivers to a nearby town

Box office gross: $17.6 million

Tin Cup

Rene Russo, Don Johnson and Kevin Costner star in "Tin Cup."

Warner Bros. photos

Tin Cup (1996)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Hotel Congress, Tubac, Sonoita, Nogales.

Cast: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Don Johnson, Cheech Marin

Genre: Comedy, drama, romance: A washed up golf pro tries to qualify for the US Open.

Box office gross: $53.85 million

Glory Road

In this undated photo released by Disney, John Voight, left, portraying Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, shakes hands with Josh Lucas, right, playing Texas Western coach Don Haskins in a scene from the motion picture "Glory Road." (AP Photo/Disney Enterprises, Inc., Frank Connor)

(AP Photo/Disney Enterprises, Inc., Frank Connor

Glory Road (2006)

Tucson location: Bear Down Gym at the University of Arizona

Cast: Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Austin Nichols, Jon Voight

Genre: Biography, drama, sport: Texas Western coach leads the first all-black starting line-up college basketball team to the NCAA championship.

Box office gross: $42.64 million

Three Amigos

Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short in The Three Amigos.

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Three Amigos (1986)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Coronado National Forest, Florence, Apache Junction, Superstition Mountains, Apache Trail, Superstition Wilderness, Sonoran Desert, Gold Canyon

Cast: Steve Martin, Checy Chase, Martin Short

Genre: Comedy, western: Three actors go to a Mexican village to perform their onscreen roles unaware they are in a real fight.

Box office gross: $39.25 million

The Family That Preys

The cast and producer of Tyler Perry's feature "The Family That Preys." (PRNewsFoto/Lincoln Mercury)

Benita Elliott (PRNewsFoto/Lincoln Mercury)

The Family That Preys (2008)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Sonoita

Cast: Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan

Genre: Drama: Two families from different walks of life learn to work together.

Box office gross: $37.02 million

Murphy's Romance (1985)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson (street scenes), Florence, Tubac, Keating Building in Florence, Eloy, Coolidge, Main Street Vault in Florence, Valley Art Theater in Tempe, Tempe, Main Street in Florence

Cast: Sally Field, James Garner, Brian Kerwin

Genre: Comedy, drama, romance: A divorcee and her son move to a ranch and she befriends a local man.

Box office gross: $30.76 million

Cannonball Run II

Sammy Davis JR, and Dean Martin are cornered by mobsters (L to R) Alex Rocco, Michael Gazzo, Abe Vigoda and Henry Silva, all after the million-dollar purse offered for Cannonball Run II. Photo by Arcafin V.V./Claridge Pictures Inc.

Arcafin V.V./Claridge Pictures Inc.

Cannonball Run II (1984)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Bisbee, Old Tucson, Arizona State School for the Deaf and the Blind Campus

Cast: Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin

Genre: Action, comedy: This sequel features another cross country race.

Box office gross: $28.08 million

Escape from New York

The Fox Theater on 17 W. Congress, Wed April 25, 2012.

Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Sta

Escape from New York (1981)

Tucson location: Fox Theater

Cast: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine

Genre: Action, adventure, sci-fi: Manhattan is now a maximum security prison and the U.S. president has crashed into it.

Box office gross: $25.24 million

Boys on the Side

Holly (Drew Barrymore, left) introduces Jane (Whoopi Goldberg) to her new boyfiend, Abe (Matthew McConaughey, in Warner Bros.' "Boys on the Side." Photo by Suzanne Hanover

Warner Bros. photo by Suzanne Hanover

Boys on the Side (1995)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Tumacácori, Teatro Carmen, Elusian Grove Market in Barrio Viejo, Tucson General Hospital (since demolished), Big Horn Restaurant in Amado, Tucson Elks Lodge, Amado

Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey

Genre: Comedy, drama: Three very different women drive cross country and become close friends.

Box office gross: $23.45 million

Madhouse (1990)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Phoenix

Cast: Richard Alexander, Kirstie Alley, John Larroquette

Genre: Comedy: A yuppie couple's villa is overrun by uninvited guests.

Box office gross: $21.04 million

8 Seconds (1994)

Tucson location: Tucson Rodeo Grounds, other Tucson locations

Cast: Luke Perry, Stephen Baldwin, James Rebhorn

Genre: Biography, drama, sport: The life of Lane Frost, 1987 PRCA Bull Riding World Champion.

Box office gross: $19.6 million

Geronimo: An American Legend

Wes Studi stars as Geronimo, the legendary Apache leader and medicine man who defied the U.S. Cavalry.

Fox Broadcasting

Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Monument Valley, Kayenta, Red Mesa, Kaibab National Forest, Williams (Grand Canyon Railway), Mexican Water, San Francisco Peaks, Skeleton Canyon, Teec Nos Pos, Tucson

Cast: Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall

Genre: Drama, history, western: The story of the Apache chief and his resistance to the U.S. Government's subjugation of his people.

Box office gross: $18.64 million

Posse

Kirk Douglas shows other actors how to draw and whirl during the filming of "Posse" at Old Tucson. 

Art Grasberger / Arizona Daily Star

Posse (1993)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Florence, Sonoran Desert, Empire Ranch in Sonoita, Sierrita Mountains, Tucson Mountains, Benson, Tucson

Cast: Mario Van Peebles, Stephen Baldwin, Charles Lane

Genre: Western: Buffalo soldiers find gold, desert and help defend a black town from the KKK.

Box office gross: $18.29 million

Lightning Jack

Old Tucson

Bill Hopkins / Tucson Citizen

Lightning Jack (1994)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Page, Sonoran Desert, Tucson Mountains, Sierrita Mountains, Flagstaff

Cast: Paul Hogan, Cuba Gooding Jr., Beverly D'Angelo

Genre: Comedy, western: An Australian outlaw in the wild west.

Box office gross: $16.82 million

Terminal Velocity (1994)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Douglas, Little Colorado River Canyon, Tucson, Flagstaff, Phoenix

Cast: Charlie Sheen, Nastassja Kinski, James Gandolfini

Genre: Action, mystery, romance: A maverick skydiver and a former KGB agent team up to stop the Russian mafia.

Box office gross: $16.48 million

The Getaway (1994)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Prescott, Phoenix International Raceway, Hotel Del Sol in Yuma, Downtown Yuma, Flagstaff, Sonoran Desert, Coolidge, Maricopa County Courthouse and Old Phoenix City Hall, Apache Lodge in Prescott, Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, Phoenix Greyhound Park, Union Station in Phoenix

Cast: Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen

Genre: Action, adventure, crime: An ex-con and his wife flee after a heist goes wrong.

Box office gross: $16.1 million

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Cast member Drew Barrymore attends the premiere of Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind at the Mann Bruin Theatre in Westwood, California, Wednesday December 11, 2002. 

LIONEL HAHN/KRT

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, White Stallion Ranch, Nogales

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney

Genre: Biography, comedy, crime: Adaptation of the cult memoir of game show impresario Chuck Barris.

Box office gross: $16 million

Flirting with Disaster (1996)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Tucson, Cave Creek, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Carefree, Marana

Cast: Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Téa Leoni

Genre: Comedy: A young man searches for his birth parents.

Box office gross: $14.89 million

Fire Birds (1990)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Army Pilot Training Post in Tucson, Mammoth, Mesa, Sonoran Desert, Apache Leap Mountains in Superior, Superstition Mountains, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Superior, Picketpost Mountain in Superior, Superstition Wilderness, Miami, Globe, Reymert, Tonto National Forest, Apache Junction, Amphitheater High School

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones, Sean Young

Genre: Action, adventure: Elite Apache helicopter pilots must destroy powerful drug cartels.

Box office gross: $14.76 million

Stay Tuned (1992)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Old Tucson, Florence, Tucson

Cast: John Ritter, Pam Dawber, Jeffrey Jones

Genre: Adventure, comedy, fantasy: a husband and wife are sucked into television sets and must survive twisted versions of TV shows.

Box office gross: $10.74 million

Cyborg

The Titan II Missile which is part of the Titan Missile Museum, is outside Tucson in Sahuarita, Ariz, on Nov. 14, 2018. 

A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star

Cyborg (1989)

Tucson and Arizona locations: Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, The Domes in Casa Grande, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Casa Grande, Green Valley, Tucson

Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah Richter, Vincent Klyn

Genre: Action, sci-fi, thriller: Hunt for a killer in a plague-infested future.

Box office gross: $10.17 million

The Wraith (1986)

Tucson locations: North Sixth Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Sabino Canyon, Catalina Highway, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, East Fifth Street, West Ajo Way and East Benson Highway.

Cast: Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, Sherilyn Fenn, Randy Quaid

Genre: Sci-fi, horror: A high-schooler returns from the dead to get revenge on the psychotic drag racer who killed him.

Box office gross: $3.5 million

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