The most famous movie set in every state

Even though "Forrest Gump" took Tom Hanks from Vietnam to the White House, home was always the fictional town of Greenbow, Alabama. Plus, Forrest was an All-American for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

"Into the Wild" follows Chris McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch, as he heads to Alaska to find his place in the world. The journey would bring McCandless to many places, but his ultimate destination was the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Business Insider also named the book that inspired the movie, "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer, the most famous book set in Alaska.

The Coen brothers' cult classic follows H.I. McDunnough, a Tempe native, and his wife as they attempt to have a baby, either naturally or through kidnapping.

The Coens made the pair all the more real by incorporating a vernacular that Joel Coen called "a mixture of local dialect and a vocabulary we imagined from the likely reading materials of the characters."

"Sling Blade" tells the story of a man with a developmental disability, played by Billy Bob Thornton, an actual Arkansan, who was put away for killing his mother as a child. The film, set and shot in Arkansas, explores what it means to be redeemed in rural America.

The 1995 teen comedy may focus on the lifestyle of Beverly Hills' most rich and privileged, but it's as sunny as the Golden State itself. Led by Alicia Silverstone's Cher, "Clueless" showcases the ideal Californian lifestyle while never going below Sunset.

Even though the movie was filmed in different states, "The Shining" takes place at the Overlook Hotel in the secluded Colorado mountains that could — once the long winter sets in — drive anyone as mad as Jack Nicholson's axe-wielding Jack Torrance.

The female residents of the small town of Stepford, Connecticut, seem too good to be true, and they are. The 1975 film, shot in Connecticut, shows that life in the suburbs may not be all it's cracked up to be.

It's hard to tell that David Fincher's "Fight Club" was set in Delaware, but there are small hints. Addresses, license plates, and the original Wilmington location in the novel by Chuck Palahniuk make it easy to see that the state where you "don't talk about fight club" is Delaware.

Though shot in Los Angeles — Miami officials thought filming there would ruin tourism — "Scarface" is set during the wild 1980s in South Beach and explores the underbelly of the Sunshine State better than any other movie could.

From the Antebellum Era to Reconstruction, the events of Civil War-time Georgia are told through the love story of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara in this 1939 romance.

The 2001 action drama depicts the attack on Pearl Harbor, a "day that will live in infamy," while employing a love story to explore the beauty of Hawaii.

This 2004 cult classic, starring Jon Heder in the titular role, takes place in the town of Preston, Idaho, where Napoleon tries to get his buddy Pedro elected class president.

Director John Hughes' love letter to Chicago sees Ferris Bueller and his buddies play hooky by exploring Wrigley Field, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Art Institute of Chicago, and other Windy City locales.

While many Hughes films — and other classic films — take place in Illinois, none represent the state better than "Ferris Bueller."

In early-1940s Indiana, Ralphie's pursuit of a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas makes this perennial holiday film a classic. The film also reminds viewers to never lick a metal pole outside in the middle of a cold Indiana winter.

"Field of Dreams" captures the dreamy quality of the Hawkeye State when Kevin Costner's Ray builds a baseball field in the middle of his Iowa cornfield. The line "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa" has since become one of the state's slogans.

No, it's not the most pleasant movie to watch, but it's based on one of the most (in)famous things to ever happen in Kansas: the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb by two ex-cons, Perry Smith and Richard Hickock.

"Coal Miner's Daughter" tells the story of country singer Loretta Lynn and how she went from the backwoods of Kentucky to the top of the charts. Sissy Spacek won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the singer.

"The Green Mile" places Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan in a Louisiana prison. The film explores the soft sensibilities of the state through Hanks' kind prison officer and Duncan's Oscar-nominated performance as the magically healing John Coffey.

Another Stephen King adaptation on the list, "The Shawshank Redemption" takes place in King's home state of Maine. Most of the film is set behind the bars of the fictional Shawshank Prison, but once Andy Dufresne escapes, he takes a moment to throw up his hands in the great Maine outdoors.

Honorable mention to almost every other King adaptation, most of which take place in Maine.

"Hairspray" opens with Tracy Turnblad belting "Good Morning, Baltimore," and with that begins her dreamy journey to "The Corny Collins Show." The musical comedy shows Maryland to be a place of dreamers, doers, and dancers.

"Good Will Hunting" explores the heart of Boston through the eyes of Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a genius janitor trying to deal with his issues. Massachusetts natives and costars Damon and Ben Affleck won an Academy Award for the screenplay.

The raunchy teen comedy follows four Michigan teenagers trying to lose their virginity before going to college. Writer Adam Herz grew up in Grand Rapids and based the film's script on his adventures growing up there.

Minnesota is known for its wildlife, but the most famous ducks from the Gopher State are the hockey players coached by Gordon Bombay.

The 1992 film takes place in Minneapolis, and later franchise installments feature Minnesota landmarks like the Mall of America.

Rightful criticisms about its portrayal of race aside, "The Help" was a phenomenon upon its release in 2011, with Octavia Spencer winning the Academy Award for best supporting actress, plus additional nominations for Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, and best picture.

The film follows two Black maids living in Jackson, Mississippi, in the '60s, as they deal with systemic racism.

David Fincher's wildly entertaining adaptation of the novel of the same name uses suburban Carthage, Missouri, to capture a bizarre mystery and a crumbling marriage.

This one seems too obvious. Director Alexander Payne sets most of his films ("Election," "About Schmidt") in his home state of Nebraska, but we had to go with the titular movie. This film, shot in black and white, captures the surprisingly haunting beauty of the vast prairies of the Cornhusker State.

Set against the Vegas Strip and Nevada desert, "The Hangover" is an ode to one of man's rites of passage: a bachelor party in Sin City. The movie follows, as Alan puts it, "Four of us wolves, running around the desert together, in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine."

Robin Williams' fantasy-adventure flick "Jumanji" (the original) was set in the fictional town of Brantford, New Hampshire, and shot in the real town of Keene.

After filming, the crew left an advertisement for Parrish Shoes (the brand Alan's family owns) painted on a downtown brick wall, which can still be seen today.

Anyone from outside the state will tell you "Garden State" should be the winner here, but after consulting the many Jersey transplants at Business Insider, it's clear that "Clerks" is the favorite among homegrown audiences.

The low-budget cult classic was shot in a Leonardo, New Jersey, convenience/video store where director Kevin Smith worked in real life.

Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach star in the title roles, respectively. The three gunslingers race to find a fortune in gold buried in the then-territory of New Mexico.

No state had competition for this list quite like New York, with Woody Allen's most memorable films and a slew of Mafia flicks set in the state.

But none captures the grit of New York City in the 1970s quite like Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver." Fans are still drawn to Robert De Niro's cabbie 40 years later, despite the unfathomable depths of his psychosis.

Set in (of course) Durham, North Carolina, "Bull Durham" is a love letter to minor league baseball, the state of North Carolina, and the crackling chemistry between Crash (Kevin Costner) and Annie (Susan Sarandon).

While most of the Coen brothers' "Fargo" takes place in Minnesota, the town of Fargo, North Dakota, became famous after the movie's lead, played by William H. Macy, travels there to hire two men to kidnap his wife and hold her hostage.

The movie has left such a lasting legacy on pop culture that it even spawned the critically praised drama of the same name. Like the film, the TV show keeps the same dark sense of humor and snowy landscapes.

While "Heathers" showed a high school unlike any we've ever been to, the killer comedy certainly captured the stereotypical conservatism of Ohioans at the time.

As Christian Slater's JD put it, "This is Ohio. I mean, if you don't have a brewski in your hand, you might as well be wearing a dress."

Hardcore fans of the iconic natural disaster movie can make the pilgrimage to the "Twister" museum in Wakita, Oklahoma. During filming, the building that houses the museum served as the production studio's on-location office, dressing room, and art department.

The band of teenage misfits who comprise "The Goonies" lives in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon.

The real-life town hosts the Walsh family's house — without the Rube Goldberg contraptions that operate the gate — the Clatsop County Jail, and the Flavel House Museum, where Mr. Walsh worked.

Two of the most famous tourist attractions in Philadelphia, according to the city's tourism website, are the Rocky Statue and the "Rocky Steps," better known as the Art Museum Steps.

The montage showing the Italian Stallion climbing all 72 stone steps is one of the most iconic movie scenes of all time.

Based on the John Updike novel of the same name, "The Witches of Eastwick" takes place in the picturesque waterfront town of Eastwick and follows three women who accidentally summon the devil. It's inspired by the Rhode Island town of Wickford, which Updike visited once, falling in love with its charm.

"The Notebook" does Charleston justice like few movies have. Some of the most recognizable filming locations include the American Theater, where Allie and Noah have their double-date, and Cypress Gardens, the dreamlike swamp that Noah and Allie paddle through during the rainstorm.

Located just 15 minutes from Mount Rushmore, the original buildings used in the Oscar-winning movie "Dances with Wolves" have been transformed into a museum.

According to its website, you can stand where Kevin Costner's character, John D. Dunbar, was given his new posting orders for Fort Hays.

"Nashville" is widely regarded as one of the best films of all time. It tells a sprawling story of 24 main characters as they try to break into the country music industry (or struggle to maintain their success) during an action-packed 48 hours.

An over-the-top slasher movie that continues to influence the horror genre today, "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" was filmed mostly near Round Rock, Austin, with a budget of $60,000, which was raised by an Austin politician, per Texas Monthly.

Shot on location in Utah's red-rock country, "127 Hours" depicts the remarkable true journey of hiker Aron Ralston through Bluejohn Canyon.

The Utah Office of Tourism released 127-hour itineraries, mapping excursions through filming locations and other parts of the state, to celebrate the movie's success.

During its initial theatrical run, this comedy about Vermont state troopers didn't do so well at the box office. But thanks to strong home-video sales, "Super Troopers" has become a cult classic, and a sequel is on the horizon for 2026.

The pinnacle sports drama "Remember the Titans" is based on the real-life T.C. Williams High School football team, which forever changed their racially divided town of Alexandria, Virginia.

After the death of his wife, Sam Baldwin, played by Tom Hanks, and his son relocate to Seattle, where he learns to love again. Their unusual home, a houseboat docked in Lake Union, can be viewed from a boat tour of the lake.

This star-studded courtroom drama — with performances by Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, and Kiefer Sutherland — was filmed in DC locations recognizable to tourists and locals, such as the US Department of Commerce, Potomac Park baseball field, and Idle Time Books.

Going to work as a coal miner is just something you do in Coalwood, West Virginia. But Homer Hickam, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, defies his father by neglecting tradition and pursuing rocketry in the fall of 1957.

When the fictional town of Everett, Wisconsin, is overrun by zombies, a resilient group of human survivors bands together in the local mall to stay alive.

In Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-nominated sci-fi flick, a UFO transmits a set of geographical coordinates for Devils Tower National Monument near Moorcroft, Wyoming, where a team of investigators set up a top-secret landing zone for their otherworldly friends.