Movies filmed in and around Lakeland

Lakeland and the surrounding towns in Polk County have served as the backdrop for several major Hollywood features, cult classics, and independent films over the decades. The area’s distinct architecture—ranging from mid-century strip malls to historic brick complexes—makes it a versatile destination for location scouts.

The most notable productions filmed right in the area include:

Major Hollywood Releases

• Edward Scissorhands (1990): Tim Burton’s iconic fantasy film features Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. While the neighborhood of pastel houses was filmed in nearby Land O’ Lakes, the bustling shopping center scenes were shot right at Lakeland’s own Southgate Shopping Center. The distinctive, massive retro archway is instantly recognizable in several scenes.
• The One and Only Ivan (2020): Disney utilized Lakeland for location shooting on this live-action/CGI hybrid starring Bryan Cranston. Production returned to the retro aesthetic of the Southgate Shopping Center and filmed scenes at the historic Silver Moon Drive-In on New Tampa Highway.
• The Waterboy (1998): Adam Sandler’s smash-hit comedy used multiple spots across Central Florida. The famous classroom scene where Sandler’s character argues about the “medulla oblongata” was filmed inside Edge Hall on the Florida Southern College campus, utilizing local students as background extras.
• Mr. Baseball (1992): This sports comedy starring Tom Selleck as an aging veteran traded to a Japanese team shot its spring training sequences on location at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, the longtime spring training home of the Detroit Tigers.

Southgate Shopping Center. Source: Movie Locations / Edward Scissorhands | Film Locations

Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Source: The Official Site of Minor League Baseball / Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium | Flying Tigers

Filmed Just Around Polk County

If you widen the lens to the immediate surrounding communities in Polk County, a few other massive titles come to light:

• My Girl (1991): The beloved, tear-jerking coming-of-age movie starring Macaulay Culkin, Anna Chlumsky, Dan Aykroyd, and Jamie Lee Curtis was filmed extensively in nearby Bartow. The beautiful, historic multi-story home used as the Sultenfuss funeral home still stands on Identity Place.
• China Moon (1994): This neo-noir crime thriller starring Ed Harris and Benicio del Toro captures the moody atmosphere of the region, splitting its primary on-location filming between Lakeland and Bartow.
• Easy to Love (1953) & Grace Is Gone (2007): Both of these features utilized the lush botanical backdrops of the historic Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven (now the site of Legoland Florida) before the original park closed its doors.

Fun Trivia & Pop Culture Highlights

• Shakma (1990): For fans of campy horror, this cult movie about a loose, aggressive baboon in a medical facility used downtown Lakeland’s historic Marble Arcade building for its opening establishing sequences.
• Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” (1983): While not a feature film, one of music history’s most iconic music videos was actually recorded right here. Prince filmed the video on a stage constructed inside the former Lakeland Civic Center (now the RP Funding Center) during a break on his 1999 tour.