New movie set in NC is coming to theaters soon. Where was it filmed?
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- A trailer debuted for the new movie “Driver’s Ed,” which has North Carolina ties.
- At least some of the film was shot in Wilmington, and the characters drive to Chapel Hill.
- On Friday, May 15, the comedy will make its U.S. premiere in some theaters and on demand.
A trailer is out for a new comedy — and it’s filled with North Carolina ties.
“Driver’s Ed” is a rated-R film about teens who steal a car from a driving instructor and go on a road trip to Chapel Hill. And it turns out, at least part of the movie was filmed near the state’s coast, according to the N.C. Film Office and a trailer posted on social media in April.
Actor Sam Nivola from the HBO show “The White Lotus” plays the main character in the movie, which also stars comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Molly Shannon.
Here’s what to know about “Driver’s Ed” and when to see it in theaters this May.
NC ties in “Driver’s Ed”
“Driver’s Ed” follows a teen who joins his classmates as they take a stolen car on a three-hour drive to Chapel Hill. While they make the journey to visit his girlfriend in college, a school principal and driving instructor are set on tracking them down, according to The Hollywood Reporter and the trailer production company AGC Studios posted on social media.
“‘Driver’s Ed’ did film in its entirety in North Carolina with filming locations in New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick counties and was expected to have a direct in-state spend in excess of $7 million,” Guy Gaster, director of the N.C. Film Office, told The News & Observer in a Thursday, April 30 email.
If you have a keen eye, you may spot some real-life Wilmington-area landmarks.
“The University of North Carolina Wilmington plays a high school campus, there’s a classroom scene shot at Hoggard High School, and a house on Orange Street stands in for a Chapel Hill frat house,” the StarNews reported. “Also making appearances are longtime Rocky Point hot dog destination Paul’s Place, the Love Grove Bridge on One Tree Hill Way, and the Buen Dia Mexican restaurant on Castle Hayne Road.”
The Wilmington area also was a filming location for the recent ABC show “R.J. Decker” and the Netflix series “The Waterfront,” The N&O previously reported.
When can you watch?
“Driver’s Ed” is set to make its U.S. premiere Friday, May 15. Film distribution company Vertical in an Instagram post said the movie will be in some theaters and on demand, though it didn’t specify which viewing platforms will carry it.
The film already made its international debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
The movie comes from director Bobby Farrelly, who worked on the 1990s films “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something about Mary,” according to IMDb.
The production and film distribution companies didn’t immediately share additional information with The News & Observer on Thursday, April 30.
This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:14 PM with the headline "New movie set in NC is coming to theaters soon. Where was it filmed?."
