Where Was Tombstone Filmed? Award-Winning Historical Drama From 1993!!

When was the last time you watched a western flick, that was inspired by true events? Well, if you’re not fully aware of any such film, then continue to read this article where I discuss the historical drama film, Tombstone. And later let you in on where was Tombstone filmed.

The American western flick, Tombstone, released in 1993 was inspired by true events, which took place in a small town of Arizona in the 1880s. George P. Cosmatos worked exceptionally well, bringing the characters true to life. The basic premise of Tombstone is centered around the character of Wyatt Earp, an austere former police officer of Dodge City. The drama unfolds when Earp moves into the town of Arizona and decides to take on the band of local outlaws.

Tombstone exceeded the expectation of the makers at the box office. This historical drama went on to gross over $75 million in global collections, against a mediocre production budget. Tombstone was nominated for the MTV Movie + TV Awards in 1994, but did not manage to win it. However, the critics and audiences were pretty satisfied with the overall storyline of the movie.

So, now let’s jump right in and find out where was Tombstone filmed so that you can witness the filming locations up close. Plus, I will also acquaint you with the plot of this biographical film, later in this article.

Where Was Tombstone Filmed? Let’s Know This Action Flick Closely!

Interestingly enough Costamos wasn’t the first choice as a director for Tombstone. The producers initially selected Kevin Jarre to direct the film. Thus, in the beginning, Kevin thought of shooting this entire biographical film, in and around the state of Arizona. However, for some personal reason, Jarre couldn’t fulfill his commitment and failed to make his directorial debut. The makers then approached Costamos to join the project, after searching through numerous filmmakers for an entire month.

Soon, Costamos came on board, yet he decided to go forward with the same filming location, which was previously selected by Jarre. Thus, the potential shooting sites in Arizona were scouted again, but a few other places were later added to the list as well. The principal photography began in May 1993 and was completed within 2 months or so. Now, let’s have a detailed discussion about where was Tombstone filmed, and find out more about the specific shooting locations.

Texas Canyon, Tucson, Arizona | USA

The production unit arrived at the beautiful location of Texas Canyon, to film the opening scene of the movie. The jaw-dropping scenes of the valley proved ideal to portray the rocky and arid backdrop required for the movie. The production members captured outdoor shots of this valley located in Cochise County.

However, in order to film the sequence featuring the home of the feared policeman, the filming crew traveled to the city of Tucson. A small-sized vintage-looking house located at 201 South Kinney Road was used to shoot the scene. The exterior shots of Marshall’s home were filmed, but to capture the interior sequence of the home, the filming crew traveled elsewhere, which we would find out in some time. 

Another major shooting location in Arizona was Mescal. This sparsely-populated area, located at the center of Cochise County, was used to depict the town of “Tombstone” in the film. A make-believe set was constructed by the members to match the look of an Arizonian town of the 1880s. Filming lasted for over one and a half months in Arizona.

Los Angeles, California | USA

So, after completing the majority of the shooting in Arizona, the filming crew moved to California. A well-equipped studio, located in the city of Los Angeles, was used to film the interior sequences of the movie. Scenes depicting the inside area of Marshall’s home were also filmed here. A few exterior shots were captured as well, which was later used to portray the final sequence of the film.

Now, if you’re planning to visit Arizona or California this winter, then you can surely look up Phoenix, Sedona, Grand Canyon National Park, Daytona and San Francisco. The aforementioned places offer a variety of options for you to choose from experiencing adventure sports to simply enjoying the natural beauty of the places.

Ok guys, now let’s quickly discuss the plot of Tombstone, so that you can get a fair idea about the basic storyline of this film. Plus, later you can also check out Waiting to Exhale, Noel Next Door and Little Italy which are equally intriguing.

Plot Of Tombstone | What’s It About

The central story of Tombstone revolves around the character of Wyatt Earp, a strong and just law-keeper of Arizona and the local gang members of the town. At the very beginning of the film, when Wyatt makes his way into the town of “Tombstone” after leaving his job at the police department. The male lead encounters a bunch of criminals, who go by the name “The Cowboys” conducting illegal activities near his home. Wyatt confronts the criminals and warns of further repercussions if they continue to practice illicit affairs. But to the lead actor’s amazement “The Cowboys” instead, choose to retaliate. Watch this Tombstone to understand how a mere disagreement sparked an actual riot in the town.

Final Words

Alrighty amigos, now that you know where was Tombstone filmed, I hope you liked the read. Do let us know about your thoughts in the comments section below. And don’t forget to check out other amazing articles on Viebly.