“Empire Records” flopped at the box office, but it’s soared with film-lovers in the 31 years since its release. But did you know it was filmed in Wilmington? Here’s where.
It may be the rare moviegoer who hasn’t come across a film he or she believes hasn’t received the critical acclaim it deserves.
“Empire Records,” filmed in Wilmington in 1994 and released in 1995, could be among them.
That is the belief of pop culture website StarsInsider, which recently named “Empire Records” among 30 movie masterpieces that are “totally underrated.” In addition, it also recently included “Empire Records” among 30 film flops that became cult classics.
“You can’t get much more cult than a film about an independent record store,” StarsInsider said. “The film took home a small fraction of its budget when it was originally released but became so adored that special editions were released in 2003 and 2015.”
Seen as an underrated cult classic
“Empire Records” is listed among what StarsInsider regards as underrated movies such “Good Time” (2017), “The Rules of Attraction” (2002) and “Disobedience” (2017).
“Each year Hollywood churns out hundreds of new movies,” StarsInsider said. “There are always a few hidden gems that go unnoticed due to the popularity of blockbusters and Oscar-winning movies. Whether they are dramas or romantic comedies, these underrated films never got the hype they deserved. Some even faced negative reviews but developed a cult following. Others were well-received by both critics and viewers but failed to find a large audience.”
When it comes to flops that became cult classics, StarsInsider includes “Empire Records” with such films as “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), “Office Space” (1999) and “The Wizard of Oz” (1939).
About the movie
A teen comedy/drama/romance directed by Allan Moyle and written by Carol Heikkinen, “Empire Records” starred Anthony LaPaglia, Debi Mazar, Maxwell Caulfield and Renee Zellweger.
The movie is about 24 hours in the lives of young employees at a Delaware record store as they try to prevent the store from being turned into a chain outlet.
Thanks to social media, “Empire Records” also inspired a day to celebrate: April 8. It’s known in the movie as Rex Manning Day, named for a character that was a washed up 1980s pop star who visits the record store on that date.
The storefront for the fictional record store was set at 15 South Front St., which is now home to Rebellion NC. Scenes were also shot at Riverfront Park, the former Caffe Phoenix at 9 South Front St., the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and parts of Wrightsville Beach.
The movie was a 1997 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Film and Television Music Awards winner for most performed songs from motion pictures and a 1995 Short Film Award nominee at the Cannes Film Festival, per Imdb.com.
Considered a box office flop, the movie with a $10 million-plus budget grossed a mere $250,000 in its first two weeks within release, according to buzzfeed.com.
In 2025, Jeff Mezydlo of sports and entertainment website Yardbarker listed the “Empire Records” character A.J. (played by Johnny Whitworth) among the 25 best characters from Generation X films.
“There are plenty of employees of the indie hip Empire Records to choose from,” Mezydlo said. “Yet, the most genuine and relatable seems to be A.J. (Johnny Whitworth). He’s a good worker, a reliable friend, and completely in love with co-worker Corey (Liv Tyler) but afraid to let her know. Sure, he’s a typical character in the realm of romantic and teen comedies, but there’s a good chance the viewer has been in his shoes.”
Reporting by Bob Liepa, Wilmington StarNews / Wilmington StarNews
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
