Swan City has been the backdrop for some pretty famous movies and tv we rounded up a few of our favorites to give you all the behind-the-scenes scoop on just how famous our town is.
? Director Tim Burton brought the world of Edward Scissorhands to Lakeland. The 1990 film is about a scientist-created being named Edward Scissorhands, who is forced to navigate the human world after his creator suddenly dies before completing his project.
? Mr. Baseball was filmed at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in 1992. The film features Hollywood icon Tom Selleck, who plays a veteran player traded to a team in Japan.
? SeaQuest 2032 was filmed at Florida Southern College and Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium and Downtown Lakeland in 1995. Jonathan Brandis stared in Sea Quest
? Prior to its closing in 2009, Cypress Gardens served as a location for the film Grace is Gone starring John Cusack. It also served as the backdrop for several more films, such as Easy to Love with Esther Williams.
? The Waterboy, featuring Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, and Henry Winkler, was filmed in various locations throughout the city. One scene, in particular, was shot in Edge Hall at Florida Southern College and used students as extras in the background.
? In 2018, Disney filmed The One and Only Ivan in LAL. The movie is based on Katherine Applegate’s novel of the same title, which won the John Newbery Medal. The production company also leased space at Southwest Elementary School. The film includes actor Brian Cranston of Breaking Bad fame.
? Local filmmaker, Kevin O’Brien, released a Lakeland-made full-length film in 2018 titled, At the End of the Day. Speaking of the importance of inclusivity, this inspiring film was documented in several notable spots in Swan City. It is available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and Google Play.
? In 2019, the groundbreaking documentary, Fly Like a Girl, was released after being filmed in Lakeland. Lakeland’s very own award-winning, Indie Atlantic Films, produced the motion picture, which received high ratings from Amazon.com and Forbes.