The movie Caddo Lake is a mystery thriller that takes place around the beautiful and mysterious Caddo Lake, located on the border of Texas and Louisiana. The film is co-directed by Logan George and Celine Held, and it tells the story of a young girl, Anna, who disappears in a remote community called Karnack. As people search for her, strange things start happening. Paris (played by Dylan O’Brien) and Ellie (played by Eliza Scanlen) find themselves experiencing strange events as they explore the swampy areas of Caddo Lake. Paris is haunted by past memories of not being able to save his mother from drowning in the lake. The movie is known for its excellent cinematography that beautifully shows the foggy and mysterious wetlands of Caddo Lake, adding to the overall feeling of suspense and mystery.
Where Was Caddo Lake Filmed?
Filming for Caddo Lake took place around the real Caddo Lake, which sits on the border of Louisiana and Texas. The filmmakers decided to film at real locations to make the movie more realistic and authentic. Most of the filming happened in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Karnack, Texas. The directors were inspired by a picture of Caddo Lake and spent about three weeks living near the lake in Karnack, where they wrote the movie’s script while soaking in the environment.
![Max’s Caddo Lake Filming Locations 1](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_fyrYpRYmwPNYR07Dl3X0KS9AtJ8knQlnw4CjpM52DSu4u3mn1KqWQCOeMi7-hF3Hob8LmXFKzzO8YvIcSNSykJQyodSRL8G7H8MzFfShaH44tAp9w3hO_FdmtuhhgvFlq3z3e9qSEfcyEh_m6fdk5MW4NEnFlK2ps2iESvz8gbM8dyDMWmxrdLyhUl2/s1600/Max%E2%80%99s%20Caddo%20Lake%20Filming%20Locations5.jpg)
The film’s production officially started on October 4, 2021, and was completed by November 18, 2021. Some additional filming was done in 2022. Before they started filming, the directors made sure that the cast members got familiar with the lake. They even took them on a boat tour of the lake so that they could understand its unique atmosphere. Dylan O’Brien and Eliza Scanlen, who play the main characters, were also trained to operate the boats seen in the movie. This helped the cast and crew work together and bring the movie to life in the best possible way.
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Karnack, Texas
A large part of Caddo Lake was filmed in the small community of Karnack, Texas. Karnack is located in Harrison County, on the west side of Caddo Lake. The town has a marshy landscape, and its old wooden houses are built on stilts to keep them safe from the water. This gives the town a spooky atmosphere, which is perfect for a mystery thriller like Caddo Lake. The filmmakers also used areas from the Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which is next to Karnack. The refuge is a large, overgrown area full of trees and abandoned buildings, adding to the film’s eerie feeling.
![Max’s Caddo Lake Filming Locations 4](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlib4vpfTm0Q3k59tZ91uspi5hLTi5dmze3lk6Eu0aCKXZXOyyTz4mMD8G4thgOgJevadZZGCrlS9HJkvqTSIiNG1_JgPsAH0crPDGCc5Y5SWs2pOv5-P-pGrDk7FfnAiZCdnEENm6_5cyDs4OaxtnWPsuTi9BnBNv4i81bpmbrAE1fPI_WpzNqBt2Ash_/s1600/Max%E2%80%99s%20Caddo%20Lake%20Filming%20Locations3.jpg)
Caddo Lake is special because it is the only naturally formed lake in Texas. Dylan O’Brien, one of the lead actors, spent a lot of time in Karnack with the local people. He learned to drive boats, drank beer with the locals, and fell in love with the unique way of life in the area. At first, he was worried about alligators in the lake, especially since some scenes required him to walk through waist-deep water. However, he didn’t see any alligators during filming because the boats used by the crew scared them away.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, a city in northwest Louisiana, was another important filming location for Caddo Lake. The city is located on the Red River, and Cross Lake is nearby as well. The production team used Shreveport as their base while filming scenes near the Louisiana side of Caddo Lake. To make the movie look like it took place in the early 2000s, the filmmakers even asked for old cars from between 1998 and 2004, and they cast local people from Shreveport in small roles.
![Max’s Caddo Lake Filming Locations 5](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54JFAmcMI_Tv0hzS6LXZXMrGS1s7sHwbIGJDxRpcO8Nf1QD_e1wmc38a05gKFPSGuioJ7VZ1jiuF1nrKpdIcxrmKbe3aOkbr3Jh0_EIC1fQ66s7FgBLyNK-iM2iNhm8UksyGmDiQPXqw7HJFPcEpIM9j0L_q0v-7jssOeRn_c9N8r6LKnpjjQs07rYEQR/s1600/Max%E2%80%99s%20Caddo%20Lake%20Filming%20Locations2.png)
Shreveport was chosen not only because it is close to Caddo Lake but also because Louisiana offers tax benefits for filmmakers. This makes it cheaper to film movies and TV shows in the state. The Louisiana side of Caddo Lake is full of small towns like Oil City and Mooringsport, which have an old-fashioned charm. Oil City is known for having the world’s first oil well over water. The quiet, old-fashioned streets of these towns made the perfect backdrop for a film like Caddo Lake, which is full of mystery and nostalgia.
Many other famous movies have also been filmed in Shreveport, including Texas Chainsaw (2013), True Blood, I Spit on Your Grave, and The Mist.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) – Caddo Lake
Q: Where was Caddo Lake filmed?
A: Caddo Lake was filmed in two main locations: Karnack, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana. The filmmakers used real locations around the actual Caddo Lake, which is on the border of Texas and Louisiana. The swampy landscapes and eerie atmosphere of the lake were essential for creating the movie’s mysterious setting.
Q: When was Caddo Lake filmed?
A: Principal photography for Caddo Lake began on October 4, 2021, and ended on November 18, 2021. Some additional filming was done in 2022 to complete the movie.
Q: When is the release date of Caddo Lake?
A: Caddo Lake was released on October 10, 2024.
Q: Who is in the cast of Caddo Lake?
A: The main cast of Caddo Lake includes Dylan O’Brien as Paris and Eliza Scanlen as Ellie. Other important cast members include Sam Hennings, Lauren Richards, and Eric Ladin, who contribute to the film’s gripping narrative.
Q: What is Caddo Lake about?
A: Caddo Lake is a mystery thriller centered around the disappearance of a young girl named Anna in a small town near Caddo Lake. The movie follows Paris and Ellie, who experience strange phenomena as they search for Anna, uncovering the dark secrets of the lake.