10 Great Movies Filmed in Maine

People often overlook the state of Maine, perhaps because it’s tucked up high in that northeast corner of the map or perhaps because Maine-ers often stay put and don’t always encourage visitors. When you try to recall movies filmed in Maine, the first creator that comes to mind might be Stephen King. After all, he’s a Maine-er whose prolific horror books are often adapted to film. There are, however, numerous movies set in Maine that make our ‘best of’ list in a variety of genres.

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But for now, let’s get back to the subject at hand: great movies filmed in Maine.

1. Pet Sematary (1989)

Louis and Rachel Creed move from Chicago to rural Maine with two young kids. They discover a strange cemetery deep in the Maine woods beyond their house. Terrible accidents start to befall the family, and Louis turns to Jud Crandall for help. When Jud confides to Louis the true power of the cemetery, Louis decides to unlock its evil forces. Nothing good comes of it!

Stephen King wrote the books for numerous movies filmed in Maine. They shot this film in Bangor, Bucksport, Hancock, Ellsworth, and Acadia.

2. Needful Things (1993)

An old man named Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow) opens an antique shop called ‘Needful Things’ in a rural Maine town. His shop always seems to stock the thing that the customer wants and needs most — it is an uncanny coincidence that all the townspeople can’t help marveling over.

Unfortunately, these purchases have a cost attached to them that none of the customers can foresee, and the outcome is evil. Gaunt is not the benign and friendly shopkeeper he appears to be. In fact, he intends to manipulate the citizens to attack one another, resulting in chaos that Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Ed Harris) can’t control. Stephen King wrote the book and adapted it into a terrifying film set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine but primarily filmed in British Columbia.

3. Dolores Claiborne (1995)

Dolores Claiborne, played by Kathy Bates, lives in a small Maine town. She works as a housekeeper for a wealthy but unkind Vera Donovan, played by Judy Parfitt. When Dolores is accused of killing Vera, Dolores’ estranged daughter Selena, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, comes from NYC to investigate what happened.

Selena discovers some shocking truths, not only about Vera’s death but also about suppressed memories from her childhood as well. Stephen King wrote the book and adapted it into a terrifying blockbuster film set in Maine.

4. Jumanji (1995)

While exploring an abandoned mansion, Peter (Bradley Pierce) and Judy Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst) discover an old board game. They begin playing the game and are stunned when a man named Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) appears from nowhere and tells them he’d been trapped in the game for 26 years. Parrish announces they are trapped in the game and must continue playing until they win or remain trapped for eternity.

They filmed this action-packed movie in North Berwick, Maine, where an old mill building dramatized the Parrish Shoe Factory.

5. The Spitfire Grill (1996)

Percy Talbott (Alison Elliott) is a woman looking for a fresh start in her life after being released from prison. She works as a waitress in a small-town Maine restaurant owned by Hannah, played by Ellen Burstyn. When Hannah becomes sick, Percy suggests a brilliant plan to give the restaurant away in a contest, but the employees and townspeople are suspicious of her motives.

6. Message in a Bottle (1999)

Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn) discovers a bottle on the beach during her morning jog. Inside she finds a love letter that is touching but unsigned. To find the writer, Theresa’s newspaper publishes the letter. They find the writer — a widower named Garret Blake (Kevin Costner). Theresa proceeds to track Garret down, but she can’t tell him the real reason she is there, or it will ruin everything. The movie is a beautiful example of movies filmed in Maine — the primary locations are New Harbor, Portland, and Phippsburg.

7. The Cider House Rules (2000)

Tobey Maguire plays Homer Wells, a young man who grows up in a Maine orphanage in the 1930s. While there, he is taught medicine by Dr. Larch, played by Michael Cain. After a disagreement over medical ethics, Homer leaves the orphanage and finds work on a cider farm, where he falls in love with a girl played by Charlize Theron. Beautifully filmed in Mount Desert Island and Bass Harbor, this is a fine example of movies filmed in Maine.

8. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

The story follows a group of camp counselors on the last day of camp in 1981. They are frantically trying to get everything done to close up the Maine summer camp before they must all leave the next day. The question is, with all that has transpired among them, can they pull it together to hold the talent show on the final night and then get out of there the very next day? It seems like somebody didn’t plan well, but it results in a story full of comedic angst and much mayhem.

It stars actors who went on to much bigger things, including Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Molly Shannon, and Christopher Meloni.

9. Welcome to Mooseport (2004)

Gene Hackman plays former U.S. President Cole, who retires to rural Mooseport, Maine. He is asked to run for mayor and is confident he’ll win; however, his opponent is local hardware store owner Handy Harrison, played by Ray Romano. President Cole learns quickly that his usual dirty tactics and tricks don’t work in this small-town election against an honest opponent.

10. Shutter Island (2010) 

This psychological thriller is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a federal marshal. He is investigating a hospital for the criminally insane on an island in Boston Harbor. It is a complicated story that is not as it seems to be. Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley also give excellent performances.

They filmed an essential scene on dramatic rocks at Acadia National Park in Maine.

Bonus: Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump, one of the most popular films of the 1990s, was filmed in cities across the country as well as in Los Angeles soundstages. However, one of the film’s most iconic moments is when Forrest runs toward a lighthouse at the end of his epic sprint across the nation. This lighthouse is Marshal Point Light in Port Clyde, Maine. The long white pier leading to the black and white lighthouse set against the beautiful Maine scenery is a true standout while highlighting Forrest’s incredible physical feat.

Movies filmed in Maine: conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed this insider’s look at some of the best movies filmed in Maine. We also hope that this list has inspired you to tackle a creative project of your own. If so, you’re going to need some production-worthy spaces to bring your vision to life.

No matter where you intend to shoot, check out Peerspace for amazing locations. As the largest online marketplace for peer-to-peer production venues, you can rest assured that we have thousands of spaces near you available to rent by the hour. On our platform, you’ll discover professional studios, privately-owned homes ready for production, and every other type of venue. Who knows, your production may end up on a future “best of” list on Peerspace!

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