Grab the popcorn: These new movies and TV shows were filmed in NC
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- Several movie and TV productions have come to North Carolina in 2026.
- A new Hallmark Christmas movie and Netflix’s “The Hunting Wives” were shot in the state.
- Filming locations include the Charlotte area, Wilmington area and Western NC.
North Carolina is home to beautiful scenery — and you may spot some of those views in upcoming movies and TV shows.
That’s because filming projects have poured into the state this year, joining hundreds of others that have come here in recent decades. North Carolina “has seen a strong start to 2026,” with a combination of new productions and others that have carried over from 2025, Guy Gaster, director of the N.C. Film Office, told The News & Observer in a Wednesday, July 15 email.
From the new season of the Netflix series “The Hunting Wives” to Hallmark’s holiday movie “A Grand Biltmore Christmas,” there are plenty of entertainment options to keep on your radar. Here are some ongoing and recently completed productions the N.C. Film Office has shared on its website.
‘A Grand Biltmore Christmas’ (’Sweet Carolina Holiday’)
Genre: Romance
Starring: Jonathan Frakes, Andie MacDowell and Holland Roden
Filming location: Western North Carolina
IMDb synopsis: “In 1895, Elizabeth meets Michael, a teen trespasser at Biltmore House who vanishes. When he returns 20 years later, a magic hourglass pulls her to the present. She must return home before being found and before love alters her destiny.”
‘The Hunting Wives,’ season 2
Genre: Drama
Starring: Malin Akerman, Jaime Ray Newman and Brittany Snow
Filming location: Charlotte area
IMDb synopsis: “Sophie O’Neil moves to deep East Texas and succumbs to socialite Margo’s charms. Her life is soon consumed by obsession, seduction, and murder.”
‘Beast Games,’ season 3
Genre: Game show
Starring: MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), Chandler Hallow and Nolan Hansen
Filming location: Eastern North Carolina
IMDb synopsis: “A reality-competition show, in which over 1,000 contestants play for a single $5 million cash payout.”
‘R.J. Decker,’ seasons 1 and 2
Genre: Drama
Starring: Jaina Lee Ortiz, Kevin Rankin and Scott Speedman
Filming location: Wilmington area
IMDb synopsis: “Ex-con photographer RJ Decker becomes a PI in South Florida, solving strange cases with help from his journalist ex, her cop wife, and an enigmatic woman from his past who may help or destroy him.”
‘A Proper Christmas’
Genre: Romance
Starring: Leona Burke, Tom Gipson and Kristi Murdock
Filming location: Wilmington area
Instagram synopsis: “As Christmas approaches, Nora, a widowed mother navigating grief and family, has her carefully ordered life thrown off balance by her grandmother’s arrival, a lively local pub, and the possibility that love isn’t finished with her yet.”
2026 NC filming projects
In addition to these projects, 2026 saw the end of production for “Blue Christmas,” a movie shot in the Wilmington area. And a to-be-announced TV show pilot filmed in the same area is in the pre-production phase, according to the N.C. Film Office.
As of April 29, figures that Gaster shared with The N&O show direct in-state spending from productions so far this year has totaled $175 million, compared to roughly $185 million for all of last year. You can see a list of past on-screen projects online at filmnc.com/nc-film-tv-productions-2020-present.
So, what makes North Carolina an attractive place for filming?
“For the larger productions, the state’s Film & Entertainment Grant and its availability is the biggest factor followed by a strong workforce, established infrastructure, and the variety of location possibilities found within the state,” Gaster told The N&O.
Portions of this story were previously published in CharlotteFive.
