The Wizard is an adventure comedy drama that has garnered a cult following over the years since its original release in 1989.
Starring Fred Savage, Luke Edwards, Christian Slater, Jenny Lewis, and Beau Bridges, the movie is about a young boy named Jimmy Woods (Edwards) who became mentally unstable after his twin sister passed away and ends up being institutionalized. Jimmy’s half-brother Corey (Savage) breaks him out of the institution and the two make their way across the country to California. On the way there, Corey discovers that Jimmy has a natural talent for playing video games and a girl they meet (Haley Brooks played by Lewis) leads them to compete in “Video Armageddon,” a video game tournament with a $50,000 cash prize.
Watch the original trailer below:
“The Wizard – Trailer” by UniversalMovies
The entire movie was filmed in Northern Nevada and California. Filming began on June 12, 1989 in the Gardnerville area and continued through the rest of the Carson Valley community as well as neighboring cities like Carson City, Reno, Dayton and a few others.
Nevada Film Commissioner Robin Holabird assisted with the film’s production and dropped in on set several times a week. Holabird, along with a few other locals who were present during filming, provided an in-depth behind-the-scenes perspective on what filming The Wizard was like in the Carson Valley Times.
Learn more about The Wizard ‘s Nevada filming locations: When Hollywood Landed in Carson Valley: An Oral History of ‘The Wizard’ by Joey Crandall