J.K. Simmons and Dwayne Johnson filming Red One in Atlanta, Georgia

J.K. Simmons (Nick) and Dwayne Johnson (Callum Drift) filming "Red One" at Perimeter Mall in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Get in the Spirit with These Holiday Movies Made in Georgia

It's the most wonderful time of the year!...for holiday movies, we mean. Come November, your television is full of commercials for box office and small screen films set around Christmas and other winter holidays. But did you know some of them were filmed in Georgia? Here are a few to watch with your loved ones this season, making sure to spot local landmarks.

Movies on Paramount+

Dear Santa (2024)

Streaming on Paramount+ starting November 25, 2024, “Dear Santa” stars Jack Black, who wreaks havoc on the holidays when a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error. The movie, from the hilarious minds behind “Dumb & Dumber,” filmed in metro Atlanta, including Decatur and Duluth.

Movies on Disney+

Dashing Through the Snow (2023)

“Dashing Through the Snow” was filmed in Atlanta and stars Ludacris, who plays Eddie, a social worker for the Atlanta Police Department who despises Christmas. While spending Christmas Eve with his daughter, Eddie meets a mysterious man named Nick, who helps him understand the joy and magic of Christmas. Lil Rey Howery plays Santa Claus, and Teyonah Parris is Eddie’s wife, Allison. Atlanta scenery and landmarks feature prominently throughout the movie, including Besharat Gallery & Museum in Castleberry Hill near Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Stonecrest’s Allen Entrepreneurial Institute, which is a private residence, but visitors can experience the developer’s New Black Wall Street Market, a shopping, dining and entertainment destination nearby.

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

Filmed at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” streams on Disney+ and features the star-studded cast of Guardians plus a cameo from Kevin Bacon. In the movie, Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket, Mantis, and Groot engage in some spirited shenanigans. Get a behind-the-scenes peek at this filming location on the Trilith Experience Tour, and pause for a chef-inspired buffet lunch at The Studio Café. Explore the nearby shops and restaurants at The Town of Trilith, including a bakery, gelato shop, and boutiques.

Movies on Hallmark+

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses (2019)

Hallmark’s “Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses” stars Matthew Davis and Jill Wagner in a story about a single mom interior designer who is decorating the home of a handsome bachelor. It was filmed in Lawrenceville, Monroe, Stone Mountain, and Marietta, including at the historic Strand Theatre and bandstand in the historic Marietta Square. You can feel like you've stepped into the holiday movie on December 5, 2024, at the Marietta Christmas Tree Lighting & Santa on the Square event.

Christmas in Homestead (2016)

Also from Hallmark, "Christmas in Homestead" is about a famous actress who visits Homestead, Iowa, to film a movie during the holidays but ends up falling for a local innkeeper. Taylor Cole ("The Originals") stars alongside Michael Rady. It was actually filmed in Dahlonega. Visit during Dahlonega's Old Fashioned Christmas to experience the festive atmosphere and feel like you're starring in your own holiday movie.

Movies on Lifetime

The Holiday Dating Guide (2022)

 

 

Showing on Lifetime, “The Holiday Dating Guide” is set in and filmed in Tifton. Starring Maria Menounos as Abigale Slater, a dating coach and aspiring book author, and Brent Bailey, the movie’s male lead and author of the original screenplay, the movie opens with a downtown street scene near the Tift Theatre and a voiceover of Menounos saying, “This is my home, Tifton.” On a quest to prove that her dating advice works, Abigale’s story unfolds at several locations around town, including buildings and streets in downtown Tifton, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Rutland Farms – where visitors actually can cut their own Christmas trees – and The Peach Barn, a local event venue. The Local at The Lankford restaurant was transformed into a coffee shop for the film, and Abigale’s apartment is in The Union Depot, a historic building that has been converted into private apartments. Watch the full movie online for free.

A Taste of Christmas (2020)

The Lifetime Network's "A Taste of Christmas" filmed in multiple locations in North Georgia, including Helen and Dahlonega. Starring Anni Krueger, Gilles Marini, and Nia Vardalos, the romantic movie about an Italian restaurant opening includes several recognizable Dahlonega locations, such as The Dahlonega Square Hotel & Villas, Dahlonega General Store and The Festival of Trees. Stop by the Dahlonega Visitors Center for tips on where to find filming locations in town.

Movies on BET+

A Jenkins Family Christmas (2021)

Directed by Robin Givens and starring Regina Taylor, Kim Coles, and Tammy Townsend, “A Jenkins Family Christmas” streams on BET+ and tells the story of two sisters who must make Christmas happen without getting into arguments, but an unexpected twist arrives at the festivities. Filmed primarily at a private residence in Roswell, the movie also features Northside Church. While visiting Roswell during the holidays, don’t miss the food, drinks, crafts and activities at the Authentic Christkindlmarket near the historic town square.

Movies on Netflix

Christmas on the Square (2020)

The Emmy award-winning Netflix movie “Christmas on the Square” boasts an all-star cast, including the legendary Dolly Parton alongside Christine Baranski and the choreography of Debbie Allen. The production used a number of locations around Atlanta and Georgia. The Decatur Presbyterian Church in downtown Decatur hosted a musical number, and the stunning Victorian Beath-Dickey House in the Atlanta neighborhood of Inman Park served as Baranski’s character’s home. Learn more about Atlanta and the Inman Park neighborhood on the Fall in Love with Atlanta tour with Bicycle Tours of Atlanta.

Holidate (2019)

Sick of being harassed for being single by their families, two strangers decide to be each other’s plus-ones for the Christmas holidays. But as each holiday comes around, they become closer. Emma Roberts stars alongside Luke Bracey and Kristin Chenoweth. The Netflix movie was filmed throughout Atlanta, including at Gwinnett Place Mall, Domaine nightclub, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden – home of the spectacular holiday light display Garden Lights, Holiday Nights.

Movies on Amazon Prime Video

A Perfect Christmas Pairing (2023)

This Hallmark movie was filmed in LaGrange and was officially released in November 2023. It stars Ansley Gordon as Chef Grace Cooke, who spends time at her family’s winery B&B over Christmas and connects with travel writer Asher St. James, played by Chris Connell. Several LaGrange landmarks are featured in the movie, including Nutwood Winery and downtown shops Emberglow – featuring locally made art, jewelry and pottery – and Pretty Good Books.

Christmas in the Smokies (2015)

In Hallmark's "Christmas in the Smokies" TV movie, a family fights to save their farm against all odds during the holiday season. But don't let the name fool you! The film – which stars Sarah Lancaster, Barry Corbin, Alan Powell and Jill Wagner ("Teen Wolf") – was actually filmed in the scenic town of Dahlonega in North Georgia. Three Sisters Vineyards & Winery and much of downtown were used for filming. Soak up the small-town holiday scene in Dahlonega, one of Georgia's 8 Small Towns that Do Christmas Right, all season long.

Feature films

Red One (2024)

In theaters November 15, 2024, and streaming on Amazon Prime, this action-packed holiday fantasy comedy follows the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) and the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) on a globe-trotting hunt to rescue Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) from his kidnappers. Filming took place throughout Georgia, including in Atlanta, Conyers, Savannah, and Jekyll Island, where visitors can experience Holly Jolly Jekyll, a winter wonderland of lights and holiday fun.

A Bad Mom's Christmas (2017)

In the follow-up to "Bad Moms," stars Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Kathryn Hahn return for more motherly hijinks during the holidays. They decide to rebel against the expectation of moms during the season, but then their own mothers come to town. Filming for the STXfilms movie took place at Atlanta-area malls, including Lenox Square, Cumberland Mall, and Phipps Plaza.

A Madea Christmas (2013)

Tyler Perry has made his mark on Georgia film with his popular Madea series, and 2013's "A Madea Christmas" was no different. Everyone's favorite grandmother visits a small town with a friend to surprise her daughter, but she sees that her Christmas cheer is needed when family drama unravels. Larry the Cable Guy and Kathy Najimy also appear. Filming took place in Atlanta and McDonough

Written by: Caroline Eubanks
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