See ‘Ohio: Wild at Heart’ on the Big Screen This Fall
The new IMAX film showcases Ohio’s wild side as it invites viewers to journey through the state’s stunning forests, rivers and skies.
If you’ve ever wanted to soar with bald eagles, kayak under glowing skies or stand at the edge of Hocking Hills’ misty cliffs, you’ll get your chance this fall without leaving your seat.
The new film “Ohio: Wild at Heart,” created for IMAX and giant-screen theaters, celebrates the state’s untamed beauty and shares successes in conservation. Produced by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and MacGillivray Freeman Films, the movie brings Ohio’s rivers, forests and wildlife to life on some of the largest screens in the state.
“Bringing Ohio’s great outdoors to the big screen is a great way to showcase why Ohio truly is the Heart of it All,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in a Sept. 15 press release.
Narrated by Buckeye State Native and Ohio State football legend Archie Griffin, the film explores how the state’s wild spaces continue to inspire and thrive, from the triumphant return of bald eagles and trumpeter swans to the steady hands of ODNR naturalists who protect Ohio’s diverse habitats. Sweeping aerial shots capture everything from the rocky outcroppings of the Hocking Hills to the sparkling expanse of Lake Erie.
“‘Ohio: Wild at Heart’ is our love letter to the mission of protecting our natural resources, and we are excited to share it with the world,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said in the same Sept. 15 release.
The movie, which began filming in July 2024, will debut across the state this fall, starting at Imagination Station in Toledo on Oct. 10. Other museums and science centers will show the film as well, including Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton (Oct. 19), Cincinnati Museum Center (Oct. 24), COSI in Columbus (Nov. 8) and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Nov. 15). Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science center is set to start showing the film in 2026.
Beginning this month, select AMC theaters across Ohio will also be screening the film, which director Shaun MacGillivray said celebrates Ohioans’ passion for nature and aims to inspire audiences to reconnect with the outdoors.
Find trailers, showtimes and more at the “Ohio: Wild at Heart” website, then grab your popcorn and get ready for a cinematic journey through the Buckeye State.
For more information, visit ohiothemovie.com.
For more Ohio inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.
Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.
Related Articles
Ohio Finds: Optical Glass Sculpture
Christopher Ries made this nearly 20-inch work of art. READ MORE >>
Backstory: Ohio’s Real-Life Cowboys
Rodeo! It’s what keeps the East Sparta Gang thirsty for beer, aching with pain, hungry for glory and happy with life. READ MORE >>
Bigfoot Investigator Dusty Ruth on Hunting Cryptids
The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization member leads groups on several Ohio expeditions throughout the year in search of the elusive creature. READ MORE >>
