Miami’s tropical climate, beautiful locations, and vibrant culture have made the area an extremely popular setting for many movies and television shows. Miami itself is one of the largest film production and distribution centers, not only in the United States, but throughout the world. Some truly memorable scenes from many classic productions have been filmed in and around Miami, so visitors are likely to see a familiar location when traveling through the area.
When you think of famous Miami-based movies, one tends to come to mind: Brian De Palma’s classic Scarface. The film was shot almost entirely in Miami and features a number of hotels and buildings that fans of the film can instantly recognize. De Palma and Pacino’s love affair with Miami continued in 1993, when they reunited to shoot Carlito’s Way, a film that has achieved cult status.
Some other world-renowned movies that have been shot in Miami include The Bodyguard, Donnie Brasco, Blow, True Lies, Any Given Sunday, Casino Royale, Ali, and Bad Boys & Bad Boys II, to name just a few.
Many popular television shows have also been filmed in Miami over the years; including Dexter, Charlie’s Angels and Burn Notice. Arguably the television series most synonymous with Magic City is Miami Vice. This popular crime drama ran between 1986 and 1990 and set the tone for many shows that followed.
As a filming location, Miami also has great international appeal. Due to the high Hispanic population, numerous Spanish-speaking programs are created in Miami each year. In fact, 55% of Miami citizens mention Spanish as their first language.
One of the first Bollywood films produced entirely outside of India, Dostana (translated as “friendship”) was filmed in Miami in 2008. Incidentally, the film became one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of that year.
Miami has also been an influence for several high-profile video game developers. Perhaps the best example is Rockstar Games’ GTA Vice City, which takes place in a city largely based on 1980s Miami. The game is widely regarded as the best of the successful GTA franchise and was the best-selling PlayStation 2 game of all time.
There are a number of open-top bus tours that circulate around Miami, offering tourists a great opportunity to catch a glimpse of some iconic movie locations, from stunning beaches to classic Miami hotels. Some typical sights may include Sun Life Stadium, the home of the NFL Miami Dolphins team that was featured in the movie Ace Ventura; or even the graveyard where Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking video Thriller was filmed.
With so much to offer, it’s easy to see why Miami is such a popular destination for filmmakers and fans alike.
