It’s no secret that the Hudson Valley is home to countless Hollywood movie stars and producers. Its lush and beautiful landscapes and proximity to New York City provide the best of both worlds. Though a handful of films have showcased the area over the decades, its cinematic footprint paled in comparison to other regions due to a flawed state program that didn’t consider the Hudson Valley “upstate.”

Recent and Upcoming Projects Shot in Ulster County

Smile 2 (2024) 

In Smile 2, pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is preparing for a world tour when she starts experiencing unsettling supernatural events. As the horrors escalate, Skye struggles to maintain her grip on reality and confronts secrets from her past. The film dives deeper into the curse from the first movie, while also focusing on themes of fame, mental health, and the lingering impact of trauma. The story expands the Smile universe while preserving the original's mysterious supernatural elements. Smile 2 was filmed in Ulster County’s very own New Paltz! 

Warner Brothers' “The Bride” (Coming September 2025)

The Bride (2025), directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, is a fresh adaptation of Bride of Frankenstein set in 1930s New York City. It follows Frankenstein’s Monster, played by Christian Bale, as he seeks the help of Dr. Euphronius to create a companion. When the Bride is brought to life, she faces complex issues of identity and freedom, which disrupt society and bring unexpected consequences. The film emphasizes themes of creation and autonomy, offering a modern perspective on the classic horror story while exploring deep social and personal dynamics. The Bride was filmed in multiple locations throughout Ulster County including Phoenicia, Accord, and Kingston.

Lost on a Mountain in Maine (Coming November 1, 2024)

Lost on a Mountain in Maine is the true story of Donn Fendler, a 12-year-old boy who becomes lost in the wilderness of Maine in 1939. Separated from his hiking group on Mount Katahdin, Donn endures nine days of harsh weather, hunger, and wildlife as he struggles to find his way back. The story is a testament to his perseverance and resourcefulness, capturing the challenges he faced and the resilience that helped him survive against the odds. While set in Maine, this film was actually shot in High Falls and New Paltz, NY.

“Drivin” by SZA (Music Video, 2024) 

SZA’s latest music video, starring Ben Stiller and shot in Hurley, doesn’t have a release date quite yet, but we’ll report back when it does!

HGTV’s House Hunters (2024) 

House Hunters is a popular HGTV reality series where prospective homebuyers tour various properties while discussing their preferences, budgets, and lifestyles. Each episode typically features a couple or individual presented with three homes, culminating in their final choice. The show highlights the emotional journey of home buying, showcasing diverse locations and property types. It aims to provide insights into the real estate market while entertaining viewers with personal stories and design inspirations. Home buyers in this season were house hunting in Milton and Marlborough, NY. 

Materialists (Coming 2025)

Materialists, set to release in 2025, is directed by Celine Song and revolves around a professional matchmaker in New York City, played by Dakota Johnson. Her business thrives on connecting elite clients, but her life takes a complicated turn when she falls into a love triangle. Torn between a wealthy client and an old flame who is an aspiring actor struggling to make ends meet.

The star-studded cast includes Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, adding to the film’s appeal. As the movie unfolds, it dives into the challenges faced by New York City's elite, mixing humor and drama to provide a fresh take on modern romance. While set in New York City, parts of the film were set in High Falls, NY. 

Severance (Season Premier January 2025)

Severance is a psychological thriller series that explores the unsettling world of Lumon Industries, a company offering a controversial procedure called "severance." This procedure surgically divides an employee's memories between their work and personal lives, creating two distinct identities: the "innie" (work persona) and the "outie" (personal persona). The show follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a grieving widower and Lumon employee who begins to question the true purpose of the severance program. While Lumon’s location remains ambiguous, Severance used Kingston, NY as a backdrop for the mysterious town.

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (2022)

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is a spin-off of the original Pretty Little Liars series, set in the same universe but introducing a new generation of characters and a fresh storyline. The show takes place in the small town of Millwood (for which Saugerties and Kingston served as a stand-in), where a group of teenage girls—Imogen, Tabby, Noa, Faran, and Mouse—are brought together by a mysterious figure known as "A." Each girl is linked by a shared dark past involving a tragic event that occurred 20 years ago and the secrets of their parents. 

Poker Face (2023) 

Poker Face is a mystery-comedy series created by Rian Johnson, following the adventures of Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), a casino worker with an extraordinary ability to detect lies. Each episode features a new murder mystery, as Charlie travels across the U.S. after fleeing her job due to a dangerous situation involving her talent. Using her lie-detecting skills, she finds herself solving various crimes, often encountering quirky characters and dangerous criminals along the way. Scenes in Poker Face were filmed in the Ulster County towns of Malborough and New Paltz.

Manifest (2022)

Manifest is a supernatural drama series that revolves around the passengers and crew of Montego Air Flight 828, which mysteriously reappears after being missing for five and a half years. For those on board, no time has passed, but the world has moved on, and they struggle to reintegrate into society. The passengers start experiencing "callings"—visions and voices guiding them to help others and solve mysteries. Parts of Manifest were filmed in New Paltz, NY. 

Architectural Digest: Hidden Gems (2024)

Architectural Digest: Hidden Gems is a web series that showcases unique and often abandoned properties, exploring their architectural features and potential for renovation. Hosted by contractor Nick Schiffer, the show takes viewers on tours of various homes, discussing the history and design of each location while highlighting renovation possibilities. The episode of Architectural Digest: Hidden Gems that featured Ulster County was set in Stone Ridge, NY.

White House Plumbers (2021)

White House Plumbers is a political drama miniseries based on the true events surrounding the Watergate scandal. It focuses on E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux), the former CIA and FBI agents who became the architects of the infamous break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972. Tasked with stopping leaks of classified information from reaching the press, they form the "White House Plumbers," a covert unit intended to protect President Nixon's administration. Scenes from White House Plumbers were shot at Kingston Point Beach and around Kingston, NY.

“Fun House” by Hand Habits (Album, 2021)

Hand Habits is the musical project led by Meg Duffy, a talented artist who started as a session guitarist before transitioning into a solo career. Initially emerging as a personal songwriting outlet after Duffy moved to Los Angeles, Hand Habits has developed into a fully-fledged band known for its introspective lyrics and intricate guitar work. “Fun House” was created in Kingston, NY.

The African Desperate (2022)

The African Desperate is a 2022 film directed by Martine Syms, focusing on the life of Palace Bryant, a Black artist who has just graduated with an MFA. The narrative unfolds over a single day in 2017, starting with her graduation in upstate New York and culminating at a Chicago train station.

Expedition Unknown featuring Josh Gates, Episode “Bootlegger’s Millions” (2021) 

In the Expedition Unknown episode titled "The Bootlegger's Millions," (set in Phoenicia, NY) Josh Gates investigates the lost fortune of notorious Prohibition bootlegger Dutch Schultz. The episode features Gates diving near Schultz's extravagant New York mansion and exploring an extensive underground bunker that once housed Schultz's secret distillery. The journey combines elements of history and adventure as Gates seeks to uncover the hidden riches and stories surrounding this infamous figure from the Prohibition era.

Ulster County on Film Through the Years

Cinematic highlights from the past.

Tootsie (1982)

Director Sydney Pollack’s production team brought their all-star cast to Ulster County’s Hurley Mountain Inn to shoot an upstate bar scene in this 1980s comedic masterpiece starring Dustin Hoffman. The film garnered 10 Oscar nominations, and Jessica Lange won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, her very first Oscar win.

The Road to Wellville (1994)

Adapted from T.C. Boyle’s novel and directed by Alan Parker, The Road to Wellville tells the story of Dr. John Kellogg (founder of Kellogg’s cereal), whose eccentric obsessions with physical health and wellness led him to open the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, where wealthy patients submitted to Kellogg’s bizarre prescriptions. The film was largely shot at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, which stands in for the sanitarium.

Down to the Bone (2004)

Before director Debra Granik launched Jennifer Lawrence’s career by casting the then-unknown 16-year-old in Winter’s Bone (for which Lawrence would receive her first Oscar nomination), Granik helped draw the world’s attention to the great character actress Vera Farmiga in Down to the Bone, a gritty indie shot all over Ulster County, including New Paltz, Woodstock, Kingston, Saugerties, and Bearsville.

Higher Ground (2011)

The directorial debut of Farmiga, which she also starred in along with her little sister, Taissa, is a gentle and very personal study of one woman’s evolving relationship with her Christian faith. Farmiga, an Ulster County resident, shot the film in Kingston, Ellenville, Stone Ridge, and Kyserike.

The Better Angels (2014)

Produced by revered auteur Terrence Malick, The Better Angels is a meditative pastoral that depicts the childhood of Abraham Lincoln and his complicated relationships with his mother and stepmother. Though it’s set in Indiana, the filmmakers chose to shoot largely at the Mohonk Preserve.

Cold in July (2014)

This acclaimed independent crime noir stars Michael C. Hall as a hapless East Texas family man whose life takes a dark turn after he accidentally kills a home intruder. Director Jim Mickle, a native Texan, chose to use Ulster County — Kingston, Esopus, Woodstock — as a stand-in for East Texas because of the similar terrain.

The Ticket (2016)

This speculative thriller shot largely in Kingston tells the story of a man who regains his vision without explanation and starts to change for the worse.

It Comes at Night (2017)

Critics adored the slow-burn narrative and moody atmosphere of this provocative arthouse thriller. The story unfolds almost exclusively inside a country house, and that particular house happens to be in the Byrdcliffe Art Colony just outside of Woodstock.

Growing Up Smith (2017)

Another flick shot entirely in Kingston, this coming-of-age family film revolves around Sam, a 10-year-old Indian boy growing up in small-town America in 1979.

Stray Bullets (2017)

Written and directed by 16-year-old wunderkind Jack Fessenden (with a little help from his father, veteran indie filmmaker Larry Fessenden), Stray Bullets follows two teenage boys who accidentally collide with a group of armed robbers on the run. Filmed across Ulster County, in Stone Ridge, Rosendale, Kingston, Woodstock, and West Shokan.