The Airstream has appeared countless times in movies and television for years as background props and even as a part of the main set in crucial scenes. When the calendar showed the year 2022, Airstream’s Hollywood journey peaked since it appeared in three movies nominated for the best movies of the year. Now, let’s take a quick look at this journey.
Airstream was featured in films and television in the 1950s and began appearing in several programs, such as the famous 1954 film The Long, Long Trailer, starring Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnaz, telling the story of a couple experiencing the freedom of movement that comes with being “full- timing, “and the 1959-1960 film The Troubleshooters which was about a construction crew traveling around the world.
As 2022 ends, the movie “Silver Bullet” left behind a bright year on the big screen. Top Gun: Maverick is about the return of the iconic character Maverick, where Tom Cruise was the leading man training a group of Top Gun graduates. Fabelmans, a coming-of-age drama directed by Steven Spielberg, about a young man named Sammy Fabelman discovering a shocking family secret and examining how the power of movies helps us see the truth; and Elvis, the critically acclaimed biographical film about Elvis Presley’s life starring Austin Butler, was included in three of the year’s best picture nominees.
Looking at Airstream’s filmography, we see countless films of all genres other than these three successful films of last year. Without going into too much detail, here is a list of movies where you can catch a glimpse of its “silver color”:
Action, Comedy, Drama and Romance
A California Christmas – The romantic comedy film is about a character that lives in an old Airstream and pretends to be a farm worker.
A Perfect World – In this 1993 crime drama, an old Airstream is used as a command center.
Armageddon – A 1998 science fiction/action film featuring Airstream caravans carrying astronauts to the launch pad.
Astronaut Farmer – is a 2006 science fiction/drama film. It follows a small-town farmer who builds a rocket ship in his barn and does mission control inside an old Airstream.
Charlie’s Angels – In the 2000 film version, the characters live in an Airstream on a movie studio lot.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – This 2001 action/adventure film, adapted from the video game series, exhibits an old Airstream.
Mars Attacks! – This 1996 sci-fi/comedy directed by Tim Burton exhibits Airstreams in an intergalactic space battle.
S1m0ne – A 2002 science fiction comedy displaying several Airstreams on a Hollywood set.
The Accountant – An Airstream Pan America is also included in this 2016 action/thriller film starring Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – Without giving too much away, this 1993 movie starring a young Johnny Depp displaying several Airstreams.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps – An Airstream Pan America is also included in the 2010 movie starring Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf.
Family
Bolt – This 2008 animated film shows Airstreams on a film plateau.
Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch – You can see an Airstream in this feel-good movie from 2002.
Jurassic World – In the 2015 sequel of the series, we see that the character Owen Grady, played by Chris Pratt, lives in a bungalow with an old Airstream.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – In the 2018 film, Owen Grady is once again the proud owner of an Airstream.
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure – In this 1985 movie, when the character Pee Wee Herman visits a rodeo, he encounters an Airstream in a cowboy trailer park.
Snow Dogs – The 2002 Disney movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr. places an old Airstream in a field in Alaska.
Horror
Eight Legged Freaks – There is a brief glimpse of an Airstream in this 2002 horror film starring David Arquette.
The Hills Have Eyes 2 – The 2006 version of this horror movie features an old Airstream stranded in the desert.
Motorhome Massacre- An Airstream Argosy features heavily in this 2005 horror movie.
If you hope to see an Airstream on small screens other than the silver screen, you certainly have plenty of options. Recently, an Airstream was seen in many scenes in the popular Netflix series Virgin River. Over the years, Airstreams have appeared on different shows, including NCIS, M*A*S*H, My Name Is Earl, Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: Miami, and various Food Network and HGTV programs.
Unsurprisingly, Airstreams have also long been popular on Hollywood screens since Airstreams are popular with celebrities like Tom Hanks, Lenny Kravitz, Luke Grimes, and Reba McEntire. But one thing’s for sure: Whether on a Hollywood screen or in your phone’s gallery, nothing can promise adventure like the sight of an Airstream itself.