Chicago Filming Locations

Where Hollywood Magic Happened - And What's There Now

From The Blues Brothers' Dixie Square Mall demolition derby to The Dark Knight's 18-wheeler flip on LaSalle Street, Chicago has been Tinseltown's favorite stand-in for everything from Gotham City to suburban America. Explore 40+ iconic filming locations - some demolished, some you can still visit today.

38
Filming Locations
14
Iconic Films
3
Demolished Sites
32
Still Standing

Jump to a Film:

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Directed by John Landis | John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd
"Destroyed 103 cars during filming - a world record at the time. The definitive Chicago movie."

Richard J. Daley Center / Daley Plaza

50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
Still Standing

The climactic car chase ends here with Jake and Elwood crashing through the plaza, destroying everything before reaching the Cook County Assessor's Office.

What's There Now
Still the Cook County courts and government offices. The Picasso sculpture remains.
Special breakaway glass panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones.
You can visit this location
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Dixie Square Mall

15201 S Dixie Hwy, Harvey, IL 60426
Demolished

The legendary indoor mall car chase - the Bluesmobile crashes through JCPenney, slides past shoppers, and destroys everything in sight.

What's There Now
The mall was demolished in 2012 after standing derelict for decades. Now an empty lot being redeveloped.
The mall had closed in 1978. Stores were redecorated and brought back to life just to be destroyed. It remained abandoned until 2012.
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Joliet Correctional Center

1125 Collins St, Joliet, IL 60432
Still Standing

The opening scene where Jake Blues is released from prison, beginning their mission from God.

What's There Now
Closed in 2002, now a historic site offering tours. Also featured in Prison Break TV series.
The prison was still operational during filming. Real inmates can be seen in background shots.
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Ray's Music Exchange

300 E 47th St, Chicago, IL 60653
Changed

Ray Charles performs 'Shake a Tail Feather' while the Blues Brothers buy instruments.

What's There Now
The original building is gone. The South Side location has been redeveloped.
Ray Charles insisted on doing his own keyboard playing. The entire musical number was choreographed in just two days.
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95th Street Bridge

95th St Bridge, Chicago, IL
Still Standing

The famous bridge jump scene where the Bluesmobile leaps over the rising drawbridge.

What's There Now
Still an active bridge over the Calumet River on Chicago's southeast side.
Multiple cars were destroyed attempting this stunt. The successful jump was done by a professional stunt driver.
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Plymouth Hotel (Elwood's Apartment)

22 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL
Demolished

Elwood's flophouse apartment where Jake crashes after being released from prison.

What's There Now
Torn down. Now Pritzker Park and the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
The rundown hotel perfectly captured the seedier side of 1970s Chicago.
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Wrigley Field (Blues Brothers Address)

1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613
Still Standing

Elwood registers the ballpark's address as his home address on his driver's license.

What's There Now
Still home of the Chicago Cubs.
A clever sight gag that Chicago natives immediately recognized.
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Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Directed by John Hughes | Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara
"John Hughes's love letter to Chicago, showcasing the Art Institute and Wrigley Field."

Art Institute of Chicago

111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603
Still Standing

The iconic scene where Cameron stares intensely at Seurat's 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte' while contemplating his life.

What's There Now
One of the world's great art museums. The Seurat painting is still there in Gallery 240.
This was a deeply personal scene for John Hughes, who visited the museum often. He used the film to showcase his favorite paintings.
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Wrigley Field

1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613
Still Standing

Ferris catches a foul ball during a Cubs game while Principal Rooney searches for him.

What's There Now
Home of the Chicago Cubs since 1914. Recently renovated but retains its historic charm.
Filmed during an actual Cubs game on September 24, 1985. The White Sox schedule put the team on the road, so Wrigley won the location.
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Ben Rose House (Cameron's House)

370 Beech St, Highland Park, IL 60035
Still Standing

Cameron's modernist glass house where his father's precious Ferrari 250 GT is stored - and ultimately destroyed.

What's There Now
Still a private residence. The car pavilion where the Ferrari scene was filmed still exists.
The glass-walled pavilion was designed by architects A. James Speyer and David Haid in 1974. The house sold for $1.06 million in 2014.
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Glenbrook North High School

2300 Shermer Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062
Still Standing

The exterior of 'Shermer High School' - Ferris's school that he so memorably skips.

What's There Now
Still an operating high school. John Hughes's actual alma mater.
John Hughes named the fictional town of 'Shermer, Illinois' after Shermer Road where this school is located.
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Home Alone (1990)

Directed by Chris Columbus | Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
"The McCallister house in Winnetka became an instant tourist attraction."

McCallister House

671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093
Still Standing

Kevin McCallister's family home where he defends against the Wet Bandits with ingenious booby traps.

What's There Now
Private residence. The 1920s Georgian-style house was listed for $5.25 million in 2024.
Interior scenes except the staircase were filmed on a soundstage. The crew used the actual staircase, attic, and first floor landing.
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Trinity United Methodist Church

1024 W Lake Ave, Wilmette, IL 60091
Still Standing

The exterior of the church where Kevin talks to Old Man Marley on Christmas Eve.

What's There Now
Still an active church. They acknowledge their fame: 'To some, we are the Home Alone church.'
The church exterior is in Wilmette, but interior scenes were filmed at Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park.
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Grace Episcopal Church (Interior)

924 Lake St, Oak Park, IL 60301
Still Standing

The interior church scenes where Kevin has his heart-to-heart with the 'scary' neighbor.

What's There Now
Still an active Episcopal church in Oak Park.
The heartfelt conversation between Kevin and Old Man Marley was filmed here while the exterior was shot at a different church.
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Murphy House (Flooded House)

656 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093
Still Standing

The neighbor's house that gets flooded - located right across the street from the McCallister home.

What's There Now
Private residence directly across from the main Home Alone house.
The proximity to the main house made for easy filming logistics.
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The Dark Knight (2008)

Directed by Christopher Nolan | Christian Bale, Heath Ledger
"Chicago became Gotham City. They actually flipped an 18-wheeler on LaSalle Street."

Lower Wacker Drive

Lower Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL
Still Standing

The Joker's 18-wheeler chase through Chicago's underground streets, culminating in the famous truck flip.

What's There Now
Still Chicago's iconic underground roadway, a double-decker street beneath the Loop.
The 18-wheeler flip was done practically with no CGI. They actually flipped the truck using a steam piston system.
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Chicago Board of Trade Building

141 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604
Still Standing

Wayne Tower headquarters in the film. The first Batman-Joker confrontation takes place on LaSalle Street with this building as backdrop.

What's There Now
Still the iconic Art Deco skyscraper at the foot of LaSalle Street. Now CME Group offices.
Filmmakers removed a clock and added the Wayne logo. They actually flipped an 18-wheeler in front of this building.
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Hotel 71 (Wyndham Grand Chicago)

71 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
Still Standing

Key scenes in the film's climax were filmed here. Shockwave is blinded by snipers outside.

What's There Now
Now the Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront hotel.
Crews spent weeks filming crucial climax scenes at this location.
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South LaSalle Street

S LaSalle St, Chicago, IL
Still Standing

The Joker's truck flip scene and first confrontation between Batman and Joker.

What's There Now
Still Chicago's financial district corridor leading to the Board of Trade.
They really did flip an 18-wheeler in the heart of the financial district - no CGI required.
You can visit this location
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The Untouchables (1987)

Directed by Brian De Palma | Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro
"The Union Station staircase scene is one of cinema's most iconic shootouts."

The Fugitive (1993)

Directed by Andrew Davis | Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones
"Filmed during the actual St. Patrick's Day parade - the city didn't even know."

Risky Business (1983)

Directed by Paul Brickman | Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay
"Tom Cruise's breakout film, shot in Highland Park and Chicago's North Shore."

Public Enemies (2009)

Directed by Michael Mann | Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
"Filmed at the actual Biograph Theater where John Dillinger was shot in 1934."

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Directed by John Hughes | Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson
"Filmed at the closed Maine North High School in Des Plaines."

High Fidelity (2000)

Directed by Stephen Frears | John Cusack, Jack Black
"The definitive Wicker Park movie, capturing Chicago's music scene."

Candyman (1992)

Directed by Bernard Rose | Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd
"Filmed at the infamous Cabrini-Green housing projects, now demolished."

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Directed by Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
"Wingsuit jumpers leaped off Trump Tower. Chicago gets destroyed by Decepticons."

Sixteen Candles (1984)

Directed by John Hughes | Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling
"John Hughes's first directorial feature, filmed across Chicago's North Shore."

Adventures in Babysitting (1987)

Directed by Chris Columbus | Elisabeth Shue
"The Associates Center's distinctive diamond top became the film's iconic image."