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Stories Set in Chicago

Stories Set in Chicago — top stories

Capone's vaults, Ferris's parade, blues stages and chaotic kitchens — the Second City plays supporting actor to no one. These ten span the 1920s to The Bear; also explore Prohibition Chicago (1920–1939).

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10 famous stories set in Chicago

Live snapshot of the top 10 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-04). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.

Browse 329 books, 424 movies, 37 TV shows and 41 games set in Chicago.

North by Northwest

North by Northwest

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
movie

Advertising man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a spy triggering a deadly cross-country chase.

Setting: New York USA; Chicago, USA; South Dakota, USATime Period: 1950s
The Irishman

The Irishman

Tribeca Productions-Sikelia Productions-Winkler Films
movie

Pennsylvania 1956. Frank Sheeran a war veteran of Irish origin who works as a truck driver accidentally meets mobster Russell Bufalino. Once Frank becomes his trusted man Bufalino sends him to Chicago with the task of…

Setting: Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago, USATime Period: Mid-20th Century
The Untouchables

The Untouchables

Paramount
movie

Young Treasury Agent Eliot Ness arrives in Chicago and is determined to take down Al Capone but it's not going to be easy because Capone has the police in his pocket. Ness meets Jim Malone a veteran patrolman and…

Setting: Chicago, USATime Period: 1930s
Some Like It Hot

Some Like It Hot

The Mirisch Company-Ashton Productions-United Artists
movie

Two musicians witness a mob hit and struggle to find a way out of the city before they are found by the gangsters. Their only opportunity is to join an all-girl band as they leave on a tour. To make their getaway they…

Setting: Chicago, USA; Florida, USATime Period: 1920s
Source Code

Source Code

The Mark Gordon Company-Vendôme Pictures-Summit Entertainment-StudioCanal-Mel's Cite du Cinema
movie

When decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens wakes up in the body of an unknown man he discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Setting: Chicago, USATime Period: Sci-Fi: Contemporary
Primal Fear

Primal Fear

Paramount Pictures-Rysher Entertainment
movie

An arrogant high-powered attorney takes on the case of a poor altar boy found running away from the scene of the grisly murder of the bishop who has taken him in. The case gets a lot more complex when the accused…

Setting: Chicago, Illinois, USATime Period: 1996
The Sting

The Sting

Universal Pictures-Zanuck/Brown Productions
movie

A novice con man teams up with an acknowledged master to avenge the murder of a mutual friend by pulling off the ultimate big con and swindling a fortune from a big-time mobster.

Setting: Chicago, USATime Period: 1930s
I, Robot

I, Robot

Davis Entertainment-Laurence Mark Productions-Canlaws Productions-20th Century Fox-Overbrook Entertainment-Mediastream Vierte Film GmbH & Co. Vermarktungs KG
movie

In 2035 where robots are commonplace and abide by the three laws of robotics a technophobic cop investigates an apparent suicide. Suspecting that a robot may be responsible for the death his investigation leads him to…

Setting: Chicago, USATime Period: Sci-Fi: 2035
Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Paramount
movie

After high school slacker Ferris Bueller successfully fakes an illness in order to skip school for the day he goes on a series of adventures throughout Chicago with his girlfriend Sloane and best friend Cameron all the…

Setting: Chicago, Illinois, USATime Period: 1980s
The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers

Universal Pictures
movie

Jake Blues just released from prison puts his old band back togther to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.

Setting: Chicago, USATime Period: 1980s

The 10 stories above are just a sample of the 831 in the catalogue for this entry. For the full live catalogue, open Chicago in the StoryTerra app. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.

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