Cinematic Seattle: Top movie locations

Seattle has been the inspiration behind many iconic big screen movies.

Many city locations have a cinematic quality. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the release of classic rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You, here’s a look at the best movies based in and around the Emerald City.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Perfectly encapsulating late-nineties youth culture, romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, stars the late Heath Ledger alongside Julia Stiles. Based loosely on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, the movie was mostly shot in the Seattle metropolitan area. 25 years on, many of the locations can be visited today. These include paintballing at Gas Works Park, Paramount Theatre and the Fremont Troll. The film’s setting shows off the city’s most famous landmarks.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the Oscar nominated 1993 film paid homage to many iconic spots around the Emerald City. Visitors can retrace the footsteps of Sam Baldwin (Hanks) by visiting Pike Place Market, one of the oldest continuously operated farmers markets in the United States. Also prominently featured is the floating home of Sam and his son on Lake Union and Alki Beach.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

A romantic comedy starring Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, and Jake Johnson, Seattle played an important role in the plot of Safety Not Guaranteed. The story unfolds when the main character, a reporter at the Seattle Magazine is told to respond to a unique advert from an aspiring time traveller. The film was shot at 32 different locations around Seattle including what used to be the Shipwreck Tavern in West Seattle and the Marco Polo Lounge on Aurora.

The Ring (2002)

Celebrated horror film The Ring sees a Seattle-based journalist receive a mysterious VHS tape that murders its watcher within a week. Following a terrifying turn of events, the journalist, played by Naomi Watts investigates the origins of the tape across the Puget Sound region. Horror fans can head to filming locations including the Harbor Steps in Downtown Seattle, Whidbey Island and the popular hotel, Westin Seattle.

KIMI (2022)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Zoë Kravitz, KIMI is a tense thriller about an agoraphobic tech worker who wishes to bring wrongdoers to justice. Protest scenes were filmed at Seattle’s Westlake Park and the movie includes many shots of the city’s exterior to give the cinematography a grunge atmosphere.

For more information visit: www.visitseattle.org  

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