WORCESTER, Mass. - In an effort to drive more tourists to central Massachusetts, Discover Central Mass is hoping to capitalize on Worcester’s movie scene.
The city says its historic buildings and ability to accommodate film crews makes it a popular spot for Hollywood. Some notable films shot in Worcester include "Wakanda Forever," "The Holdovers," "Honest Thief" and "Free Guy."
Discover Central Mass says the area has a robust tourist scene already, but they're now zoning in on "film-induced tourism" in Worcester. President Monique Messier Joseph said movie buffs will travel across the world to explore famous filming locations and stand in the same spot as some high-profile names.
“Paul Giamatti, everyone’s favorite, Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson - you know, he fell out of a window over by the AC Marriot. How cool is that?" she said. "There are people that will travel and say, 'hey, we want to see where that took place.'
"We don’t want you to just explore that area, we want you to sit in a local coffee shop. We want you to have lunch. We want you to stay in our hotels. We want you to come in and really enjoy the area, figure out what there is to do. It’s all about creating economic impact. We are trying to drive new dollars to this region and what a great story and what a great way to do it than through tourism and film.”
Discover Central Mass is exploring the possibility of making these spots into a walking map or driving tour. The city said as of last month, more than 35 movies have been filmed in Worcester since 1984.