Long before motion pictures had sound and color, and even before Hollywood became the “film capital of the world,” Illinois has stood as a central hub for motion picture production. Throughout Illinois’ long film history, there have been a wide variety of motion pictures filmed throughout the entire state.

Charlie Chaplin, one of the most famous filmmakers in the history of cinema, produced and starred in films all across the globe. This includes a quick stop in Chicago to star in a short silent film called “His New Job,” filmed in 1915.

Fast forwarding to the 1950s, the American folk hero Davy Crockett had a successful run of film and television series releases. This included “Davy Crockett and the River Pirates,” a classic western shot at the Cave-in-Rock State Park just along the Ohio River.

A pair of cult classics involving high school students, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and “The Breakfast Club,” were both respectively shot at high schools in Illinois. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” was filmed at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook. The film also includes various famous locations in Chicago like the formerly named Sears Tower, Art Institute of Chicago, Ben Rose Auto Museum and Wrigley Field. “The Breakfast Club” also used Glenbrook North High School as a set, however, exterior shots took place at Shermer High School in Des Plaines.

Groundhog Day was earlier this month, which goes hand-in-hand with the 1993 film of the same name that starred Illinois’ own Bill Murray. “Groundhog Day” was shot in Woodstock, Algonquin, Rockford and Cary. Before getting lost in New York, the holiday classic “Home Alone” was filmed in Illinois. The McCallisters’ now-famous house is located in Winnetka.

Lastly, the city of Chicago, on numerous occasions, has been transformed on the big screen into Gotham City for “The Caped Crusader” to patrol. The films include: “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight,” “The Batman” and “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.”

Despite Hollywood’s firm grasp on the film industry, Illinois continues to be a strong hub for film productions.