Filmed in Mansfield
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Ranked the #1 film of all time on IMDB, director Frank Darrabont chose Richland County and the surrounding areas as the backrop for the iconic film, The Shawshank Redemption. The Ohio State Reformatory stood in as the formidable Shawshank Prison. Scenes were also shot on the streets of downtown Mansfield, at Malabar Farm State Park, and in the pastoral countryside of southern Richland County.
Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019)
Director Jon Herzfeld choose Mansfield, Ohio for the filming of Escape Plan: The Exctractors, a film staring Sylvester Stallone, Curtis Jackson, and Dave Bautista. The Ohio State Reformatory stood in for a formidablee Latvian prison and additional scenes were filmed throughout the city.
Air Force One (1997)
The Ohio State Reformatory also makes an appearance in the 1997 film, Air Force One starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Glenn Close. The exterior gates, the east cell block, central guard room can be seen in this clip from the film.
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
The bulk of the film, “Judas and the Black Messiah,” was made in Cleveland and filmed a few days in November 2019 at the Ohio State Reformatory. Scenes at OSR in the Warner Brothers film included the prison’s solitary confinement, the West Cell Block and a lunch scene.
Syfy’s Ghost Hunters
In 2014, the paranormal investigators from Syfy’s “Ghost Hunters” made a trip to Lucas, Ohio to search for evidence of the paranormal at Malabar Farm State Park. They hunted ghosts at the Celia Rose House, the site of an 1896 triple murder, and at “The Big House,” the home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Louis Bromfield.
Also filmed in Mansfield, Ohio:
- Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976)
- Tango and Cash (1989)
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- Air Force One (1997)
- The Rage (2007)
- The Dead Matter (2010)
- Axe Giant (2013)
- ClownTown (2016)
- Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019)
- Judas and The Black Messiah (2021)
- Escape From Death Block 13 (2021)
- Joey and Rex Save the Church (2022)
- Chaser (2022)
- Summer of Sorrow (2023)
- The Final Contestant (2023)
- October Roses (2023)
- Million Dollar Game (2023)
- Mouth Full of Knuckles (2024)
We can assist with:
- Mansfield – Richland County Visitor Guides
- Provide images
- Advise on group dining options
- Connect you with local transportation services
Jodie Snavely, IOM, CTIS
Special Projects Director
Permits
Filming that disrupts the public rights of way may require a permit and police presence. Please contact our local government and law enforcement for permits and procedures for filming on public property.
Transportation Services
Looking to get from A to B? For personalized help for travel, contact the transportation service provider below.
The Ohio Film Office
For more information about filming in Ohio, help meeting additional production needs, or applying for The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, please contact the Ohio Film Office at askohiofilm@development.ohio.gov or at (614)644-5156.