Texas has always been closely associated with the world of cinema since its inception. Afterall it was one of the first states to open up drive-in movie theaters, and at one point, it was the state with the most drive-in movie theaters in the entire country. Today, Texas is home to some of the oldest, continuously operating drive-in movie theaters in the country.
If, like me, you are interested in learning (and visiting) the places where famous movies have been filmed, then welcome! This article covers each of the notable movies filmed in Texas, organized by decade, going back to the 1960s.
Each movie listed below features a brief synopsis, where the filming location is, as well as the name of the director and the starring actors or actresses.
Some of the filming locations in Texas are public, some are on private land, and others were filmed in film studios. Even if a movie was largely filmed in a studio, some of them still have public locations that they filmed outside of the studio that can be visited; some of the filming studios also allow public tours.
Movies Filmed in Texas — By Decade
Without further ado, here's the list of notable movies filmed in The Lone Star State from the 1960s through today.
1960s
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Brief Synopsis: "Bonnie and Clyde" is a biographical crime film that dramatizes the life of the infamous American criminal couple, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The movie showcases their bank-robbing spree across the Central United States during the Great Depression, focusing on their romance and adventures leading up to their tragic end.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Various locations, including the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Name of Director: Arthur Penn
Starring Actors/Actresses: Warren Beatty (Clyde Barrow) and Faye Dunaway (Bonnie Parker)
1970s
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Brief Synopsis: A group of friends falls prey to a family of cannibals while visiting an old homestead in Texas. The film is a seminal horror classic known for its intense atmosphere and shocking visuals.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Rural areas around Austin, Texas.
Name of Director: Tobe Hooper
Starring Actors/Actresses: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Brief Synopsis: Set in a small, dying Texas town, this film follows the lives of high school seniors navigating their way into adulthood against a backdrop of desolation and loss.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Archer City, Texas.
Name of Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Starring Actors/Actresses: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ben Johnson
1980s
Paris, Texas (1984)
Brief Synopsis: A deeply moving narrative about an amnesiac who reunites with his family and tries to reconcile his troubled past.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Houston, Port Arthur, and other Texas locations.
Name of Director: Wim Wenders
Starring Actors/Actresses: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell
True Stories (1986)
Brief Synopsis: A whimsical musical journey through a quirky Texas town, celebrating its eccentric residents in the midst of its "Celebration of Specialness."
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Dallas and its suburbs.
Name of Director: David Byrne
Starring Actors/Actresses: David Byrne, John Goodman, Annie McEnroe
1990s
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Brief Synopsis: "Dazed and Confused" is a coming-of-age film that captures the adventures of high school and junior high students on the last day of school in May 1976. The film is celebrated for its raw portrayal of teen life, an iconic soundtrack, and a cast of characters navigating the freedoms and challenges of adolescence.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Austin.
Name of Director: Richard Linklater.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck.
Blank Check (1994)
Brief Synopsis: "Blank Check" is a family comedy about a young boy who accidentally gets a blank check and fills it out for a million dollars, leading to extravagant adventures and lessons about the true value of money.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Primarily filmed in and around Austin, Texas.
Name of Director: Rupert Wainwright.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Brian Bonsall, Karen Duffy, Miguel Ferrer, James Rebhorn.
Selena (1997)
Brief Synopsis: "Selena" is a biographical drama that chronicles the life and career of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, a Tejano singer who rose from humble beginnings to become a Grammy-winning superstar before her tragic murder at the age of 23.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi, and Poteet.
Name of Director: Gregory Nava.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda.
Rushmore (1998)
Brief Synopsis: "Rushmore" is a comedy-drama that tells the story of Max Fischer, an eccentric and ambitious teenage student at Rushmore Academy, whose extracurricular activities threaten his academic standing. Max's life becomes complicated when he befriends a wealthy industrialist and falls in love with a widowed schoolteacher, leading to a unique triangle of friendship and rivalry.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Houston.
Name of Director: Wes Anderson.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams.
Office Space (1999)
Brief Synopsis: "Office Space" is a satirical comedy that skewers the monotony and absurdities of the corporate office environment. The story follows Peter Gibbons, who, after undergoing hypnotherapy, becomes disenchanted with his job and concocts a plan to embezzle money from his company.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Austin.
Name of Director: Mike Judge.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, Stephen Root.
Varsity Blues (1999)
Brief Synopsis: "Varsity Blues" explores the pressures of high school football in small-town Texas, focusing on backup quarterback Jon Moxon as he steps into the spotlight. The film examines the town's obsession with the sport and its impact on the players.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Coupland, Elgin, Georgetown, and Austin.
Name of Director: Brian Robbins.
Starring Actors/Actresses: James Van Der Beek, Jon Voight, Paul Walker, Amy Smart.
2000s
Miss Congeniality (2000)
Brief Synopsis: An FBI agent goes undercover in a beauty pageant to prevent a bomb attack, finding herself in humorous situations as she adapts to the world of pageantry.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: San Antonio, including the River Walk and Alamo.
Name of Director: Donald Petrie.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt, William Shatner.
Spy Kids (2001)
Brief Synopsis: "Spy Kids" follows the Cortez siblings, Carmen and Juni, who embark on a thrilling mission to rescue their kidnapped parents, uncovering a world of gadgets, espionage, and secret agents.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Primarily in Austin.
Name of Director: Robert Rodriguez.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino.
The Rookie (2002)
Brief Synopsis: "The Rookie" is a sports drama based on the true story of Jim Morris, a high school teacher and coach who discovers he can throw a baseball faster than 98 mph, leading to a tryout with the Major Leagues.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Thorndale, Austin, Big Lake, and other locations.
Name of Director: John Lee Hancock.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez.
Friday Night Lights (2004)
Brief Synopsis: "Friday Night Lights" portrays the fervent culture of high school football in Texas, focusing on the Permian High Panthers as they navigate the pressures of the sport in their pursuit of a state championship.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Odessa, Austin, and Houston.
Name of Director: Peter Berg.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Billy Bob Thornton, Garrett Hedlund, Derek Luke, Jay Hernandez.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Brief Synopsis: "No Country for Old Men" is an intense thriller that follows a violent chain of events after a man stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and more than two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Marfa and Eagle Pass.
Name of Director: Joel and Ethan Coen.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Brief Synopsis: "There Will Be Blood" is a story of greed, faith, and power, focusing on a silver miner turned oilman on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's oil boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Marfa.
Name of Director: Paul Thomas Anderson.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano.
Friday The 13th (2009)
Brief Synopsis: The 2009 reboot of "Friday the 13th" revitalizes the horror franchise, featuring Jason Voorhees as he terrorizes a new group of young adults at Crystal Lake. The film combines classic elements with new twists.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Austin.
Name of Director: Marcus Nispel.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti.
2010s
Bernie (2011)
Brief Synopsis: "Bernie" is a dark comedy based on the true story of Bernie Tiede, a beloved mortician in a small Texas town who befriends a wealthy widow, Marjorie Nugent. Their relationship takes a dark turn, leading to murder, with the town's residents surprisingly supporting Bernie.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Carthage.
Name of Director: Richard Linklater.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey.
Boyhood (2014)
Brief Synopsis: "Boyhood" is a groundbreaking film that captures the life of a boy, Mason, from early childhood to his arrival at college. Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, it's a unique portrayal of growing up, family dynamics, and the passage of time.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Various locations across Texas, including Houston, Austin, and San Marcos.
Name of Director: Richard Linklater.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater.
Hell or High Water (2016)
Brief Synopsis: Two brothers in West Texas embark on a series of bank robberies to save their family ranch, pursued by two Texas Rangers. The film blends crime, drama, and a Western ethos to explore themes of loyalty, justice, and the American frontier spirit.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Clovis, Portales, Tucumcari, and other locations.
Name of Director: David Mackenzie.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges.
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
Brief Synopsis: Set in the 1980s, "Everybody Wants Some!!" is a comedy that follows a group of college baseball players as they navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood, capturing the spirit of youth and the camaraderie of sports.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Austin.
Name of Director: Richard Linklater.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Blake Jenner, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Guzman.
The Chosen (Series: 2017-TBD)
Brief Synopsis: "The Chosen" is the first multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, depicting His interactions from the perspective of those who met Him.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Weatherford and Pooleville for Season 1, later seasons in Midlothian.
Name of Director: Dallas Jenkins.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Jonathan Roumie as Jesus, Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Noah James, George H. Xanthis.
A Ghost Story (2017)
Brief Synopsis: "A Ghost Story" delves into the profound themes of love, loss, and the essence of human connection, as it follows a white-sheeted ghost's timeless journey to reconnect with his bereft wife.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Dallas and Irving.
Name of Director: David Lowery.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara.
The Old Man & the Gun (2018)
Brief Synopsis: "The Old Man & the Gun" is inspired by the true story of Forrest Tucker, a career criminal and prison escape artist. The film focuses on Tucker's audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 and his string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Various locations around Dayton.
Name of Director: David Lowery.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Sissy Spacek.
The Standoff at Sparrow Creek (2018)
Brief Synopsis: "The Standoff at Sparrow Creek" is a gripping thriller that revolves around a former cop turned militia man who investigates a shooting at a police funeral from his own group. The film explores themes of loyalty, suspicion, and the complexities of justice within a tightly knit militia group.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Not specified.
Name of Director: Henry Dunham.
Starring Actors/Actresses: James Badge Dale, Brian Geraghty, Patrick Fischler.
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
Brief Synopsis: "Alita: Battle Angel" is a visually stunning, action-packed film set in a futuristic world where a compassionate cyber-physician finds Alita, a discarded female cyborg, in a junkyard. Revived with no memory of her past, she embarks on a journey to discover her true identity and destiny.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Primarily shot in Austin.
Name of Director: Robert Rodriguez.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly.
The Vast of Night (2019)
Brief Synopsis: In the 1950s, in a small New Mexico town, a young switchboard operator and a charismatic radio DJ discover a strange audio frequency that could change their future forever. The film is a suspenseful sci-fi mystery exploring themes of curiosity, communication, and the unknown.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Not specified.
Name of Director: Andrew Patterson.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz.
2020s
12 Mighty Orphans (2021)
Brief Synopsis: "12 Mighty Orphans" tells the inspiring true story of the Mighty Mites, a football team from a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, rose from obscurity to play in the Texas state championships under the guidance of their coach, Rusty Russell, a WWI veteran.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Fort Worth.
Name of Director: Ty Roberts.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Luke Wilson, Martin Sheen, Vinessa Shaw.
American Underdog (2021)
Brief Synopsis: "American Underdog" chronicles the true story of Kurt Warner, who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Not specified.
Name of Director: Andrew and Jon Erwin.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin, Dennis Quaid.
80 for Brady (2023)
Brief Synopsis: "80 for Brady" is a heartwarming comedy that follows four lifelong friends who embark on a trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero, Tom Brady, play, leading to a series of adventures.
Filming Location(s) in Texas: Not specified.
Name of Director: Kyle Marvin.
Starring Actors/Actresses: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field.
Wrapping Up Movies Filmed in Texas
While this article is not an exhaustive list of all the movies ever filmed in the state of Texas, it is a list of some of the most notable movies on the big screen that have been filmed in The Lone Star State. Are there any other notable films that you think I should add? Let me know!