Austin Film Tourism Guide
Visit Locations From Iconic "Made in Austin" Films & TV Shows
Over the past 50 years, hundreds of films and TV series have been produced in Austin — from the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Dazed and Confused to Office Space, Friday Night Lights, and many more (see the full filmography). Productions are drawn here by the talent, the lifestyle, and an incredible range of locations all within a short drive. And when Austin isn't playing itself, it's doubled as everything from New York City to Endora, Iowa. The best part? Many of these iconic locations are real places you can visit today. A handful of these locations are also part of the Made in Austin Film Trail — visit them in person and unlock a free, exclusive film poster through the Austin Insider Trails program. And keep an eye out for the "Proud Filming Location" window clings at partner businesses around the city.
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1993 Dazed and Confused
Linklater's early Austin film shows an obsession with ensemble performance and a specific…
1990 Slacker
Linklater's Austin debut was shot two years before Dazed and Confused on many of the same streets.
1984 Blood Simple
The Coen Brothers' debut thriller used Austin's moody bars, roadways, and the iconic overlook at…
1974 Texas Chain Saw Massacre
A masterpiece of low-budget horror, Tobe Hooper’s gritty classic forever transformed the slasher…
1999 Office Space
Office Space captures a different era of Austin — the corporate sprawl of the late '90s — with the…
1996 Waiting for Guffman
A hilarious mockumentary following a small-town Texas theater troupe convinced a Broadway scout is…
1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape
A quirky, heartfelt drama following a small-town Iowan struggling to balance his eccentric family's…
1998 Newton Boys
Linklater's true-crime period film shot across small Central Texas towns — including the…
2010 True Grit
The Coen Brothers transformed a Central Texas ranch and the historic town square in Granger into the…
2004/2006-2011 Friday Night Lights
This beloved TV series brought Permian Basin football to life using Pflugerville's Herrmann Field…
2015-2023 Fear the Walking Dead
AMC's zombie drama turned Austin's Volente Beach Waterpark and surrounding lakeside locations into…
2021 Queer Eye
The Fab Five brought their makeover magic to Austin for Season 6, filming at local restaurants…
2021 Walker
The CW's Texas Ranger reboot filmed extensively at Austin's historic courthouse, downtown streets…
2014 Boyhood
Filmed over 12 years at real Austin homes, schools, and landmarks, Boyhood offers a one-of-a-kind…
2011 Tree of Life
Malick's Palme d'Or-winning meditation on memory and family was filmed in Smithville, a small town…
2017 Song to Song
Malick's impressionistic Austin love story used SXSW, the Long Center, and dozens of real music…
2016 Everybody Wants Some!!
Linklater's third Austin-area film in the guide, showing affection for Texas social rituals and a…
2006 A Scanner Darkly
This trippy animated thriller was filmed across Austin's residential neighborhoods and the UT…
1996 Suburbia
Linklater's raw portrait of Austin's disaffected youth was filmed at a real convenience store on…
2011 Bernie
Based on a true East Texas story, this dark comedy filmed in Carthage and across Central Texas…
1974 Texas Chain Saw Massacre
A masterpiece of low-budget horror, Tobe Hooper’s gritty classic forever transformed the slasher…
1986 Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2
The sequel brought Hooper back to Austin — this time to downtown locations including the Promenade.
1998 The Faculty
Rodriguez's sci-fi horror film used Pflugerville High School's football field and facilities as…
2007 Grindhouse: Planet Terror
Robert Rodriguez's horror homage used many South Austin locations.
1990 Slacker
Linklater's Austin debut was shot two years before Dazed and Confused on many of the same streets.
1993 Dazed and Confused
Linklater's early Austin film shows an obsession with ensemble performance and a specific…
1996 Suburbia
Linklater's raw portrait of Austin's disaffected youth was filmed at a real convenience store on…
1998 Newton Boys
Linklater's true-crime period film shot across small Central Texas towns — including the…
2006 A Scanner Darkly
This trippy animated thriller was filmed across Austin's residential neighborhoods and the UT…
2011 Bernie
Based on a true East Texas story, this dark comedy filmed in Carthage and across Central Texas…
2014 Boyhood
Filmed over 12 years at real Austin homes, schools, and landmarks, Boyhood offers a one-of-a-kind…
2016 Everybody Wants Some!!
Linklater's third Austin-area film in the guide, showing affection for Texas social rituals and a…
1998 The Faculty
Rodriguez's sci-fi horror film used Pflugerville High School's football field and facilities as…
2001 Spy Kids
Rodriguez's family adventure was filmed at locations across Austin and the Hill Country, including…
2002 Spy Kids 2
The sequel brought Carmen and Juni to the Texas State Capitol and other Austin landmarks, making it…
2007 Grindhouse: Planet Terror
Robert Rodriguez's horror homage used many South Austin locations.
2010 Machete
Robert Rodriguez's action-packed exploitation homage filmed at St. Mary's Cathedral, the Texas State…
2020 We Can Be Heroes
Rodriguez's Netflix superhero film for families filmed at Troublemaker Studios and various Austin…
Behind the Scenes: Tours at Troublemaker Studios
Robert Rodriguez put Austin on the map for film production — and Troublemaker Studios is where the magic happens. His groundbreaking facility has served as the backdrop for Spy Kids 2, Sin City, Alita: Battle Angel, Planet Terror, and dozens more. These days, the studio opens its doors daily for private tours, giving film fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at a fully operational backlot.