Whether you’re looking for sports fantasy, action, or romantic drama, these movie genres all have one thing in common: Pittsburgh. Steel City is the backdrop for some of the best Hollywood movies, as listed below:
Angels in the Outfield
This 1951 film about the Pittsburgh Pirates stars Jennifer Paige as a journalist who’s investigating the Pirates’ losing streak, and the source seems to point to a rowdy team manager (Paul Douglas).
Flashdance
Jennifer Beals stars in this 1983 romantic drama about a beautiful steel mill worker who dances at a bar during the night and vows to get into a prestigious dance conservatory, cheered on by her handsome boss (Michael Nouri).
Groundhog Day
Bill Murray stars in this 1993 “romantic fantasy about a crazy weatherman forced to relive on strange day over and over, until he gets it right,” according to TripSavvy.
Inspector Gadget
Matthew Broderick starred as the titular character in this 1999 comedy about a bumbling detective based off of the cartoon.
Adventureland
This 2009 movie was filmed in Kennywood and West Mifflin and starred Jesse Eisenberg as a recent college grad who’s forced to work at a local amusement park for the summer to pay for his long-anticipated trip to Europe.
She’s Out of My League
Catch star Jay Baruchel and T.J. Miller in Pittsburgh Penguins jerseys in Mellon Arena. The 2010 movie is about an airport security guard who dates a woman (Alive Eve) who’s totally out of his league.
Warrior
Filmed at North Hills High School and Petersen Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh, this 2011 drama/action movie is about a duo of brothers (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) who find redemption for their estranged family past in the middle of a mixed martial arts ring.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Filmed in Fort Pitt Tunnel; Peters Township High School in McMurray, Pennsylvania; and other nearby locations, this 2012 film stars Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Ezra Miller in a coming-of-age film adaptation of the popular novel.
The Dark Knight Rises
Perhaps most notably, this 2012 is Steel City’s shining star of the film walk of fame. Filmed at Heinz Field and Downtown Oakland, The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale as Batman and Tom Hardy as Bane.
Jack Reacher
Tom Cruise stars at the titular character in this 2012 action movie that films in the Strip District; South Side; and nearby Pennsylvania locations, such as Sewickley, Monroeville, and Saltsburg.
The Fault in Our Stars
This 2014 film adaptation of an award-winning young audience novel was set in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort co-star as Hazel and Gus, a pair of cancer patients who find love and live life while they still can.
Fences
This Academy Award-winning drama was filmed in the Hill District. Denzel Washington starred as a sanitation worker who longed to play professional baseball. His dreams were dashed when his age hindered his entry into the Major League Baseball as soon as they admit black athletes.
Concussion
This 2015 drama stars Will Smith as “pathologist Bennet Omalu, who [proved] football’s deleterious effects on players’ brains and published breakthrough papers in medical journals on the degenerative brain disease he discovered, chronic traumatic encephalopathy,” according to Reader’s Digest. Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster was the first NFL player…autopsied. Smith filmed scenes at Heinz Field, Omni William Penn Hotel, Allegheny County Health Department, and Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh.