The Old Man & The Gun
Released in 2018, The Old Man & the Gun is Robert Redford’s final movie as an actor, and parts of it were filmed in downtown Hamilton. In the movie, Redford plays an elderly bank robber known for being a cunning and elusive gentleman. The movie is based on the true story of Forrest Tucker, who repeatedly escaped from prison and stole an estimated $4 million over his criminal career.
Carol
Based on the novel ‘The Price of Salt’ by Patricia Highsmith, Carol addressed a forbidden romance that developed between two women in the 1950s. Kostas restaurant in downtown Hamilton was temporarily transformed into the Liberty Bell Diner for filming. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, this movie received five Golden Globe nominations and six Academy Award nominations.
Dry Run
Director Todd Haynes, who also directed Carol, returned to Hamilton to film the movie Dry Run. It is based on the true story of the DuPont Chemical Company pollution scandal in 1998. Mark Ruffalo plays a corporate defense attorney who switches sides to fight against DuPont after a West Virginia farmer blamed the company’s pollution for the loss of his cattle. Several scenes for the movie were filmed all around Hamilton, including the County Administration building. This movie is still in production and the release date will be announced at a later time.
Tiger
Starring Mickey Rourke and Prem Singh, Tiger tells the story of a Sikh boxer who is banned by the American Boxing Commission for refusal to comply with the clean shave rule due to religious beliefs. Based on the true story of Pardeep Nagra, Tiger was filmed all over Hamilton, with several scenes taking place at Hamilton High School.
The Long Home
Directed and starring James Franco, The Long Home is based on a book by William Gay. In the film, Franco plays a contractor working for a man who killed his father years before. Some of the filming was done in Hamilton’s very own German Village. Two Hamilton locals, Jay Davis and Vince Jolivette, are producers for James Franco’s production company, Rabbit Bandini. This movie is slated for release in 2019.
Walkaway Joe
Walkaway oe is a film about a son searching for his father, who abandoned his family. Along the way, he strikes up an unexpected friendship with a lonely stranger with secrets of his own. Filming is currently taking place in Louisiana, but is set to come to Hamilton in the future. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, known for his part as Negan in The Walking Dead series, will star alongside David Strathairn and Julian Feder for the film.
Chain of Command
Filmed in Hamilton in 2014, Chain of Command follows a military man who witnesses the murder of his brother when her returns home from duty. In his search for the killers, he uncovers a conspiracy within the US government. He fights to expose the conspiracy while being hunted by an assassin played by Steve Austin. Scenes were filmed in the old city building in downtown Hamilton.
Blood Heist
Another James Franco movie made a stop in Hamilton for filming in 2016. Blood Heist is a story about a group of Latin sisters and their brother trying to make their first indie movie. They attempt to rob a bank, but things don’t exactly go according to plan. This film is set to release sometime this year.
Gotti
John Travolta (starring as John Gotti) made waves when he came to Hamilton to film scenes for Gotti. The movie is based on a true story and covers the story of John Gotti and his son as they headed up a major crime family in New York. Scenes were filmed in the Butler County Jail on Hanover Street.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
Based on the true story of the crimes of Ted Bundy, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile stars Zac Efron as Bundy. Some scenes were filmed in the Butler County Jail and Hamilton’s own Sheriff Jones even landed a speaking role. The movie rights were recently purchased by Netflix in the wake of success from the Ted Tapes, but a release date has not yet been set.