Horror Movies Filmed in Long Beach
From haunted ocean liners to killer dolls and mutant fish, Long Beach has served as the eerie backdrop for decades of horror films and scary movies. Whether doubling for far-off locales or showcasing its own spooky self, Long Beach brings unique flavor to every fright. Here are just a very few of the creepy stories shot in and around this haunted hub.
THE HAUNTING OF THE QUEEN MARY (2023)
The iconic ocean liner–reputed to be one of America’s most haunted places–has hosted more than 300 productions, including “The Poseidon Adventure,” “The Aviator,” as well as numerous TV shows and commercials. Here, the ship is the chilling backdrop for a story shifting between the 1930s and present day as a family's vacation becomes a terrifying journey through the ship’s haunted past. Filmed largely on board, the movie uses the Queen Mary’s original art deco interiors and winding corridors to heighten suspense.
RED DRAGON (2002)
This prequel to “Silence of the Lambs” used the locally famous “Ferris Bueller House” on Country Club Drive for its opening scene in which police enter a home where a family has been murdered. The house's pristine suburban exterior creates a chilling contrast to what lies inside, heightening the film's unsettling tone. The home has appeared in numerous other movies like, well, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Not Another Teen Movie.”
MEGA PIRANHA (2010)
Long Beach acted as a stand-in for Florida as giant, genetically modified piranhas wreak havoc on land and sea. Filming took place along Bayshore Beach as well as the Haynes Generating Station on Studebaker Road. The film blends over-the-top action, campy charm and aquatic chaos as Long Beach provides a perfect sunny backdrop for the explosive, fish-fueled destruction.
CHILD’S PLAY 2 (1990)
This second installment of the Chucky film series shot its finale at the waste management facility on Pier S at Henry Ford Avenue in the Port of Long Beach. The industrial site doubled as the creepily cheerful Play Pals Toy Factory, where the evil doll is rebuilt. The gritty, real-world location added eerie authenticity to the horror sequel’s climax, cementing it as one of the most memorable settings in the iconic slasher franchise’s history.
THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES (1964)
Yes. This is real. “The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies,” billed as the “first monster musical,” is about … oh, does it even matter? Suffice it to say there are brainwashed juvenile delinquents and zombies, all shot in something called “Hypnovision.” You’ve probably already guessed that something this creepy and crazy was shot at the creepy and crazy Pike, which acts as a stand-in for Brooklyn’s Coney Island.
THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953)
This 1953 sci-fi classic, based on a Ray Bradbury short story, also used the Pike to stand in for Coney Island. A prehistoric dinosaur, awakened by Arctic nuclear testing, rampages through the park in the film’s climax. The film’s most notable scene features a sharpshooter riding the iconic Cyclone Racer roller coaster to eye level with the beast, setting up a dramatic showdown at one of Long Beach’s most legendary landmarks.