Wayne’s World (1992)

Based on the classic “Saturday Night Live” skit, “Wayne’s World” is set in the town of Aurora, Illinois.  However, while a small bit of the film did shoot in Illinois, the majority was filmed in California.  Wayne’s house can be found in a neighborhood of Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles.

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LOCATION: 7105 Texhoma Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Garth’s house is located directly across the street.  However, in the time that has passed since filming, the house has undergone such heavy remodeling, it no longer bears any resemblance to how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 7102 Texhoma Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406

The music store where Wayne sees his dream guitar can be found in San Fernando. The store is still in business and has photos from the film, as well as a signed guitar on display, although it is not the one seen in the film. This same location appears in the 2025 film “Obsession.”

LOCATION: 901 N Maclay Ave, San Fernando, CA 91340

The diner where Wayne apologizes to Garth can be found in Inglewood. The hockey player on the roof was added by the production.

LOCATION: 1220 N La Brea Ave, Inglewood, CA 90302

Wayne’s actual guitar from the film can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

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LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

Film locations are of course not limited only to the United States and neither are we!  Several sequences in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” were shot in Seoul, South Korea.

Ultron tries to force Dr. Helen Cho to make him a new body at U-Gin Genetics Research Lab, where Captain America later shows up.  The research lab is in fact a cultural building used for restaurants, exhibitions, conferences and performances on the Some Sevit Floating Islands.  The islands were man-made on the banks of the Han River, in an effort to bring more cultural activity to the area.  There are three islands there, which are all interconnected.  The research lab building is on the largest of the three islands; Some Gavit.  The building was designed to resemble a flower in full bloom.  All three islands can be easily accessed by foot, don’t be mislead by the “island” distinction.

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LOCATION: 683 Olympic-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06500, South Korea

Later in the film, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow are in pursuit of Ultron in an action piece that takes place all over the streets of Seoul.  It would be exhaustive trying to cover every street piece, so instead we’ll highlight one key area.  Hawkeye and Black Widow soar in a jet over this sculpture in front of the MBC building.  MBC is one of the major broadcast stations of South Korea.  Several other broadcast stations’ headquarters can also be found in this area.

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LOCATION: 267 Seongram-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 121-904, South Korea

They even commemorated the shooting of the film by placing a Captain America shield and Avengers plaque in the ground at the base of the sculpture.

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There is also a video monitor at the location, which plays the Seoul action sequences from the film on repeated rotation.  Below the video screen is information (in Korean) about the shooting of the film at this location.  It’s always a pleasure to see locations embrace and commemorate films in this manor.

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Related articles: The Avengers (2012)

Almost Famous (2000)

The house of Patrick Fugit’s character, where he lives with Francis McDormand and Zooey Deschanel in Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical film “Almost Famous,” is set in San Diego, California.  However, the real home used in the film is actually located in Santa Monica, California.

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LOCATION: 1047 Maple St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Related articles: Say Anything… (1989), Singles (1992), Jerry Maguire (1996), Aloha (2015)

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

White Goodman, played by Ben Stiller in “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” runs “Globo Gym,” where he heads up the “Purple Cobras” dodgeball team.  The lobby of the former Nikken Building in Irvine, California, now known as the Masimo Building, served as the location of “Globo Gym.”  The same building has been used in many other productions, including “Iron Man,” “You, Me And Dupree” and “All About Steve.”

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LOCATION: 52 Discovery, Irvine, CA 92618

The Dirty Sanchez bar can be found here.

LOCATION: 3387 Motor Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Training Day (2001)

Jake, played by Ethan Hawke, first meets Alonzo, played by Denzel Washington, at the Quality Cafe in Antoine Fuqua’s 2001 film “Training Day.”  The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Seven,” “Ghost World,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Rules Of Attraction,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and dozens more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming.  Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014.  The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.

LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)

Later in the film, Jake finds himself set up inside this drug dealer’s house.  The house can be found perched on a hill in the Everett Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.  The home was used again in the 2009 Sam Raimi film, “Drag Me To Hell,” as the residence of Alison Lohman’s character.

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LOCATION: 1031 Everett St, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Mullholland Drive (2001)

Given the title, it’s a given that David Lynch’s 2001 film “Mullholland Drive,” like many of his other films, is based around Los Angeles.  When Betty, played by Naomi Watts, first arrives in L.A., she stays at this apartment complex.

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LOCATION: 450 N Sycamore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

In the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, you’ll find the “Sierra Bonita” apartments, where Diane lives.  Located just a few blocks from the original site of Walt Disney Studios, the eight cottages are said to have inspired the animation designs for the dwarf houses in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

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LOCATION: 2900 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

The iconic Pink’s Hot Dogs is seen where the hitman speaks with a prostitute. Pink’s has appeared in many films, such as “The Muppets,” “The Golden Child,” “Minnie and Moskowitz,” “loha, Bobby and Rose,” “Hickey & Boggs” and more.

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LOCATION: 709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

The Winkie’s Diner on Sunset Blvd is not actually on Sunset or even in Hollywood.  The building can actually be found in the city of Gardena.  The “Winkie’s” name was also created by the filmmakers.  The real restaurant was at one time a Denny’s, before later becoming Caesar’s Restaurant.  It currently sits vacant.

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LOCATION: 1016 W El Segundo Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247

In one of the film’s more unsettling scenes, Dan, played by Patrick Fischler, is haunted by the image of a man behind a wall in the back lot of the restaurant.  He makes his way down the sidewalk and stairs to the wall behind the restaurant, to face his nightmare.

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As he approaches the wall, he collapses when he sees the man in his nightmares personified.  As you can see, the wall appears a bit different now than how it appeared in the film, no longer extending out as far.

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In Downtown Los Angeles, you’ll find the entrance to Club Silenco.  This is actually the back of the Palace Theatre, facing S Spring St

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LOCATION: 630 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014 (rear entrance, near 621 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014)

The interior of Club Silenco was filmed at the Tower Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. It has since been converted into a retail store and is open to the public. Lynch revisited this location for “Inland Empire,” as well as “Twin Peaks: The Return.” The same building has also appeared in the films “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “The Omega Man,” “Fight Club,” “The Prestige,” “Coyote Ugly,” “Last Action Hero,” “Transformers,” “Ed Wood,” “End of Days,” ““She’s So Lovely,” “The Replacement Killers,” “The Good German,” “Dark Streets” and “The Mambo King.”

LOCATION: 800 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Related articles: Eraserhead (1977), Wild At Heart (1990), Lost Highway (1997), Twin Peaks

Batman (1989)

While Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman” film was originally considered to be shot at Warner Bros. Studios, the film instead primarily shot at Pinewood Studios, just outside of London, England.  However, the Batmobile from the original film can today be seen at the Warner Bros. lot, as part of their studio tour.

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LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

In 2019, the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles held a limited exhibition called “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy,” which featured one of the original, screen-used costumes worn by Michael Keaton in the film.

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LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

A couple models of the Batmobile can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

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LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Related articles: Frankenweenie (1984), Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), Ed Wood (1994), Big Fish (2003), Big Eyes (2014), Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016)

Knocked Up (2007)

Ben Stone, played by Seth Rogan in the 2007 comedy “Knocked Up,” lives with his buddies at this house in Northridge, California.  Unfortunately, the house has somewhat limited visibility from the road.  You can see this view from the driveway.  The rest of the property is obscured by a large wall covered by plants.  Another Seth Rogen comedy, “Superbad,” filmed scenes of a party house on the same street.

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LOCATION: 17800 Community St, Northridge, CA 91325

Alison visits her sister Debbie, played by Leslie Mann at this Brentwood home.  Debbie and her husband Pete, played by Paul Rudd, would become the subject of their own spin-off to this film, “This Is 40.”  The same house was used in both films.  This property is also gated, with a wall running along the street, so while it’s likewise not easily visible, it too can still be seen from a couple angles.

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LOCATION: 531 N Bristol Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Related articles: The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005), This Is 40 (2012)

The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)

“The 40 Year-Old Virgin” introduced us to the films of Judd Apatow, who would go on to make a string of hit comedies.  Andy, played by still Steve Carell, lives in this Studio City, California apartment, which still closely resembles how it appeared in the film.  The same building was used in the film “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.”

LOCATION: 12012 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91604

Andy works in this shopping plaza in Encino, California.

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LOCATION: 17401 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91316

The house where Trish, played by Catherine Keener, lived could be found in North Hollywood.  Sadly, it has since been demolished.

LOCATION: 4433 Cartwright Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91602

It (2017)

To promote the release of the film “It,” Warner Bros. built a a haunted house on the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood, California, in which visitors could go inside the Neibolt house, where actors and haunted house theatrics would do their best to scare you.

The real house seen in the film was also a creation of the production.  It was built in the town of Oshowa, Ontario, Canada, on the corner of Eulalie Ave and James St.

“The IT Experience: Neibolt House Hollywood” pop-up exhibition was on display for one month, during August and September, 2017.  It has since closed.  In 2019, the studio built a pop-up for “It Chapter Two” at the same location.

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Related articles: It Chapter Two (2019)