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Major cities and their iconic structures have served as the backdrop for movies throughout the decades. The Golden Gate Bridge—and San Francisco as a whole—has been the shining star in tons of films. Whether it’s sci-fi, romantic comedies, or high-octane action, the Golden Gate Bridge is perfect for what memorable movies do best: destruction, danger, and even falling in love.
Since its opening in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge has appeared in over two dozen films in a variety of settings. Because the Golden Gate is such an iconic landmark, it’s a natural choice for major scenes that stick in your head.
Want more San Francisco filming locations? If you’re into movie moments in real life, you’ll love our guides to famous San Francisco homes from movies and TV (by neighborhood) and 10 iconic SF movie & TV houses you can see around the city.
From romantic comedies to heart-stopping disaster flicks to science fiction epics, here are some popular movies that give the Golden Gate Bridge center stage in a major way.
Bridge moment: A giant sea creature attacks the span in classic creature-feature style.
A stop-motion masterpiece by the legendary Ray Harryhausen, It Came from Beneath the Sea is a classic black-and-white film that features a giant octopus slithering up the bridge. It ends up destroying a large portion of the structure—meticulously crafted with practical effects that still feel fun to watch today.
Bridge moment: Earthquake damage + a school bus crisis = Superman’s big save.
The destruction of the bridge is a key plot point where Superman shows off his super-powered skills. After an earthquake, the bridge begins to crumble and sends a school bus full of children into a panic—until Superman arrives (because of course he does). For the special effects available in the 1970s, the bridge destruction looks surprisingly convincing.
Bridge moment: Bond + a villain + a zeppelin near the bridge = peak 80s action.
Roger Moore’s James Bond era is punctuated with a climactic Golden Gate Bridge scene. The villain (played by Christopher Walken) flies a zeppelin over the bridge in an attempt to kill Bond and his love interest (Tanya Roberts). At one point, she’s dangling precariously from high on one of the cables as Bond tries to save her—ambitious, dramatic, and very Bond.
Bridge moment: A Klingon Bird of Prey appears in San Francisco—and the bridge is right there.
The Star Trek franchise uses the Golden Gate Bridge across multiple films, but The Voyage Home has one of the most memorable San Francisco moments: a Klingon Bird of Prey lands in the city in the year 2286, and the bridge is clearly visible as Captain Kirk and Spock ride a bus across the Golden Gate in search of a rare humpback whale. In later films, Starfleet Command is often portrayed as headquartered near the bridge—SF as the center of the future.
Bridge moment: The Golden Gate Bridge bends and warps in a big disaster sequence.
In what many sci-fi fans consider a famously wild plot, The Core follows scientists who drill to the center of the Earth to jump-start the planet’s core. One of the standout visuals is the Golden Gate Bridge taking the brunt of the chaos—bending apart like taffy in a scene that’s dramatic, ridiculous, and kind of unforgettable.
Bridge moment: The span waves like a ruler before collapsing into the Bay.
NBC’s two-part mini-series 10.5 focuses on catastrophic earthquakes along the West Coast. The Golden Gate Bridge scene goes full disaster-mode: the bridge sways dramatically, vehicles slide, and the structure finally gives way—sending cars tumbling into the water.
Bridge moment: Magneto literally relocates the Golden Gate Bridge to reach Alcatraz.
Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto is not messing around in this third installment. Mutants display their powers when Magneto lifts the bridge and moves it to Alcatraz—a sequence important to the final act and featured prominently in the film’s promotional art.
Film nerd bonus: Since Alcatraz plays such a big role here, you might also like 21 movies and 14 TV shows featuring Alcatraz Island (“The Rock”).
Bridge moment: SF “set the scene” shots where the bridge pops up in the background.
The Golden Gate isn’t only for thrillers and disasters. Going the Distance is a romantic comedy starring Drew Barrymore. She plays Erin, a graduate-school intern interviewing for a job at the San Francisco Chronicle, and the bridge appears in background shots throughout the movie as a classic “you’re in San Francisco” visual cue.
Bridge moment: A massive final battle unfolds on the span as worlds collide.
This movie has an explosive final scene on the Golden Gate Bridge and is often praised for using the bridge’s grandeur in a meaningful way. Caesar leads the apes across the bridge into a huge confrontation with authorities. The bridge becomes a literal and symbolic divide between humans and primates—and the visual detail in the sequence is blockbuster-level.
Bridge moment: Giant creatures make mincemeat of SF landmarks—including the bridge.
Pacific Rim is a modern monster-movie love letter: robots, kaiju, and epic destruction. San Francisco gets wrecked, and the film makes a point of showing how quickly a larger-than-life creature can demolish a landmark as iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge. If you love action chaos (in the best way), this one checks the boxes.
Bridge moment: Suspense builds… then Godzilla arrives and everything goes sideways.
Everyone’s favorite prehistoric sea monster makes a splash (and a huge mess) on the Golden Gate Bridge. The movie does a good job building atmosphere—birds fleeing, storms brewing, tension rising—before the military response escalates the situation and Godzilla tears through whatever’s in his path.
Bridge moment: Big quake energy, big set pieces, and a movie that knows what it is.
With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson leading the way, San Andreas is an entertaining disaster ride. The Golden Gate Bridge sequence helps cement the film’s tone—part spectacle, part “so-bad-it’s-good” fun—without taking itself too seriously.
If you’re collecting San Francisco filming locations like Pokémon, here are three more fun rabbit holes:
This article is part of our Cinematic San Francisco series, highlighting famous movie scenes, filming locations, and real-life spots you can visit around the city.
Here are a few real-life viewpoints that give you that “opening credits” vibe—no CGI required.
The Golden Gate Bridge survives a lot on the big screen—but in real life, it’s even better. San Francisco Jeep Tours can take you across the bridge on a private, fully guided tour, with easy photo stops and big views from open-air Jeeps.
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Since opening in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge has appeared in over two dozen films (and plenty of TV, too). It’s one of the most-used bridges in cinema because it instantly screams “San Francisco” and looks epic from almost any angle.
It’s visual shorthand: audiences recognize it instantly, and filmmakers love using famous landmarks to raise the stakes. Also, the bridge is enormous, dramatic, and sits right between city and ocean—perfect for disasters, monsters, and action sequences.
X-Men: The Last Stand features the famous scene where Magneto relocates the bridge to reach Alcatraz. If you want more “The Rock on screen,” check out our Alcatraz movie & TV guide.
For dramatic angles, head to Fort Point. For postcard panoramas, the Marin Headlands are hard to beat. For an easy waterfront stroll, Crissy Field is a favorite. And if you want close-up details and visitor info, start near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center.
Yes. San Francisco Jeep Tours can include driving over the bridge on private, fully guided tours—plus photo stops at viewpoints that give you the best angles without the parking stress.
Start with our two movie-location favorites: Famous SF Homes (by neighborhood) and 10 famous SF movie & TV show houses. They’re perfect if you want to turn “I’ve seen that!” into a real-life mini adventure.
San Francisco Jeep Tours include routes and stops that offer great views and historical context for those itching to see the bridge. The San Francisco Jeep City Tour, Sunset & City Lights Jeep Tour, and the Full Day Combo City + Muir Woods tour travel to different locations around San Francisco that offer incredible views of the bridge.
Like movies? How about 21 movies and a few TV shows featuring Alcatraz Island (“The Rock”)?
Visit the San Francisco Jeep Tours website for more information on traveling to—and over—the Golden Gate Bridge on one of our private tours.
