Kevin Are the towns from your favorite movies and shows real? Most town names have been changed, but many are based on real places that creators have experienced.
Do the places from the movies really exist? You might not expect locations mentioned in animated films to exist, but possibly in live-acting films. Have you ever wondered where your favorite fictional towns came from? From the eerie streets of Silent Hill to the vampire-laden boardwalk of Santa Cruz, explore the real-life places that inspired some of the most iconic settings in film, TV, and games.
Radiator Springs – Based on Several Route 66 Towns (Disney/Pixar’s Cars)
In order to create the fun attractions that are part of Radiator Springs, the Pixar team rode the famous Route 66 and stopped along the way. This means they took a classic American road trip down one of the coolest roads in the country. The inspiration for Radiator Springs came from roadside attractions from places along the way, including Seligman, AZ; Galena, KS; Baxter Springs, KS; and Tucumcari, NM. The forgotten town of Seligman influenced the design of Radiator Springs and the character of “Mater.”
Santa Carla – Based on Santa Cruz, CA (The Lost Boys, 1987)
Names were changed to protect the innocent, but in this case, the innocent was an entire town. The iconic fictional location of Santa Carla in The Lost Boys was actually the real town of Santa Cruz, CA. In fact, many of the scenes from the film are places along the boardwalk that you can still visit today. The town was renamed for the movie, but anyone familiar with the area will recognize the amusement park and train trestle among some of the locations filmed.
Stars Hollow – Inspired by Washington Depot, Connecticut (Gilmore Girls)
Are there any small towns like Stars Hollow in Connecticut? Of course, there are. Many people flock to New England in the fall to enjoy the beauty of the quaint small towns and experience the leaves on the ground. Some tourists even come there during winter for the holiday season. The town of Stars Hollow is based on the real town of Washington Depot, CT, which is where Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of Gilmore Girls, stayed while visiting Yale. The charming New England vibe became the inspiration for the wonderful little town featured in the show.
Silent Hill – Inspired by Centralia, Pennsylvania (Silent Hill Game & Movie)
The small town of Centralia, PA, has its own strange story, which makes it the perfect setting for the iconic fictional location that is Silent Hill, which is the name of the town in the game and movie that share the same name. Centralia has an underground coal fire that’s been burning since 1962, putting off a creepy fog that fills the landscape. This nearly abandoned town has a long history in the coal mining industry, but the fire that burns to make the fog was the perfect backdrop to be the setting of the game and movie.
Hawkins, Indiana – Loosely Inspired by Montauk, NY (Stranger Things)
What do New York and Indiana have in common? You might not think the two states have much in common, but when you get down into a small town, there isn’t much difference. The fictional location of Hawkins, Indiana, which serves as the setting for Stranger Things, is actually inspired by Montauk, NY. The show originally used Montauk as a working title before it was changed. The premise was always the real conspiracy theories and urban legends that surrounded Camp Hero, but the final name choice made for a much more compelling hook.
Springfield – Based on Multiple U.S. Towns (The Simpsons)
Where is Springfield? The iconic fictional location of The Simpsons bears a name that you can probably find in nearly every state. How many Springfields are there in the United States? This name was chosen on purpose by Creator Matt Groening to bring a common feeling of the location, but the real inspiration for the animated town comes from Springfield, Oregon. The real town embraces the connection with a Simpsons mural downtown to honor its role in the long running animated series.
Woodsboro – Inspired by Santa Rosa, CA (Scream, 1996)
The setting for Scream is supposed to look like any generic California town, but the actual town where the movies were filmed is Santa Rosa, CA. It serves as the right place for this violent and horror-filled film series. The school district would not allow the movie to be filmed on school grounds because of its violent content, and that fact was later called out in the credits.
What are some of the iconic fictional locations from movies that you’ve enjoyed? Are you wondering if the place is real? Have town names been changed to protect the innocent?
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