Wilmington Film Guide
Film & TV locations in Wilmington, NC
A self-guided tour of the productions that turned Wilmington into 'Hollywood East' — Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, Sleepy Hollow, Iron Man 3, Outer Banks, and the soundstages that hosted them all.
Wilmington has been a film-production city since 1983, when Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis built the soundstages that would become Screen Gems Studios. Today it's the largest film and television production hub outside Los Angeles and New York — over 400 productions have shot here in the last four decades.
For visitors, that history is right outside your window. You can walk from Third & Oak Suites to the Dawson's Creek dock in eight minutes. The original One Tree Hill filming locations are scattered across downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. Iconic Sleepy Hollow exteriors are visible from Front Street.
This guide is a self-tour of the productions and their locations — what to look for, how to find each spot, and the context behind why a Marvel film or a beloved teen drama ended up shooting in eastern North Carolina.
Dawson's Creek (1998–2003)
TV SeriesThe show that put Wilmington on the location-tourism map. Dawson's Creek shot here for six seasons and made downtown Wilmington a global brand for set-jetting.
Filming locations
- The Dawson's Creek dock — actually the Cape Fear River at Marina Street, walkable from Third & Oak
- Hell's Kitchen (now Riverwalk dining) — used as Capeside town center exteriors
- Front Street storefronts — countless episodic exteriors
One Tree Hill (2003–2012)
TV SeriesNine seasons. Wilmington owes a meaningful chunk of its identity to OTH fan tourism — there's still a One Tree Hill convention in town every year.
Filming locations
- Karen's Café (Port City Java location at 7 N Front St) — interior was a working coffee shop you can still visit
- Tric — actually The Brooklyn Arts Center in the Brooklyn Arts District
- Naley House — private residence in the Forest Hills neighborhood
- Lucas's house — private residence near Wrightsville Beach
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Feature FilmMarvel filmed most of Iron Man 3's interior work at Wilmington's Screen Gems Studios, one of the largest movie studios outside Hollywood.
Filming locations
- Screen Gems Studios — the Tony Stark mansion interior was a soundstage build at the studio in Wilmington
- Cape Fear River banks — establishing aerial shots
Sleepy Hollow (2013–2017)
TV SeriesThe Fox supernatural series used Wilmington's deep stock of historic architecture extensively. Many street corners you walk past from Third & Oak appeared in the show.
Filming locations
- Front Street and downtown side streets dressed as Sleepy Hollow village
- Historic Bellamy Mansion as multiple period settings
- Various Cape Fear Historic Foundation properties
The Conjuring 3 (2021)
Feature FilmThe third Conjuring film shot extensively in the Wilmington area, including night work in downtown.
Filming locations
- Screen Gems Studios soundstages
- Various rural Brunswick County and downtown Wilmington exteriors
Outer Banks (2020–present)
Netflix SeriesSet in the Outer Banks but largely shot around Wilmington and Charleston. Brought a new generation of set-jetting tourists.
Filming locations
- Cape Fear River and surrounding marshes
- Various Wilmington-area beach scenes (Wrightsville and Carolina Beach)
- Screen Gems Studios for interior work
Eastbound & Down (2009–2013)
TV SeriesDanny McBride's HBO series made Wilmington its de facto home. Many cast and crew still live in town.
Filming locations
- Various Wilmington-area baseball fields
- Castle Hayne and rural New Hanover County
Stay where the productions stay
Wilmington's production crews — gaffers, ADs, location scouts, day players — book downtown lodging when shoots run long. Third & Oak's suites are designed for that kind of stay: enough room to spread out, kitchens for early calls, and walkability to the cafés and bars where the production community actually hangs out.
If you're a fan visiting to walk the locations, that same setup means you start each day blocks from the Riverwalk, two blocks from Olivero (the best Italian in town), and a short ride to any of the soundstages, beach locations, or neighborhood houses your itinerary covers.
How to plan a Wilmington film-locations weekend
- Friday afternoon arrival. Check in at Third & Oak. Walk down to the Riverwalk for the original Dawson's Creek dock and surrounding waterfront. Dinner at Front Street Brewery (frequently used as a production hangout).
- Saturday morning — One Tree Hill tour. Coffee at Port City Java (the original Karen's Café). Drive or rideshare to Forest Hills for exterior shots of the Naley and Scott houses. The Brooklyn Arts Center (former Tric) is 0.6 mi from the suite.
- Saturday afternoon — historic downtown. Bellamy Mansion and the Cape Fear Historic Foundation properties used in Sleepy Hollow. Most are walkable from the suite.
- Saturday evening — production hangouts. Front Street Brewery, Cape Fear Wine & Beer, The Blind Elephant. Wilmington's production community is tight; these are the places they actually drink.
- Sunday morning — Screen Gems exterior tour. Public tours of Screen Gems Studios on N 23rd Street are seasonally available. Even from outside, you can see the soundstages where Iron Man 3, Sleepy Hollow, and Outer Banks shot.
Book a downtown base for your film weekend
Third & Oak Suites — boutique lodging on South 3rd Street, walking distance to most downtown locations, with kitchens, parking, and the right base for a tour weekend.