House from Tim Burton movie destroyed by lightning strike on Alabama island, park says

Irene Wright
·2 min read
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A house on Jackson Lake Island, the filming and set location for a Tim Burton film, burned to the ground after it was struck by lightning, the owners said.

The home, on Jackson Lake Island, was featured in the 2003 film “Big Fish” and was operated as part of a tourist attraction sitting in the middle of the Alabama River.

On July 2, the park said one of the homes on the property was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, but thanks to the local fire department, the goats that call the island home were unhurt.

The island is owned and operated by Lynn and Bobby Bright and has been in the family since 1970, Lynn Bright told WSFA.

In 2003, Burton was scouting locations for an upcoming film when he drove out onto the island, Bright told the outlet about the movie director.

“I understand from folks at the film commission, Tim Burton drove through, and this was it,” she said.

Visitors to the island can still see pieces of movie history in the fictitious town of “Spectre.”
Visitors to the island can still see pieces of movie history in the fictitious town of “Spectre.”

The fictitious town of “Spectre” was then built on the property, providing the backdrop for Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney to tell the tale of a complicated father-son relationship in the Gothic South.

The film included a star-studded lineup of Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard, Steve Buscemi and Danny Devito. The movie had relative success, grossing more than $123 million worldwide, according to IMDB.

But after filming, the set and town were abandoned, WAKA reported, and the homes that once crossed the silver screen fell into disrepair.

“Spectre,” the fictitious town featured in the film “Big Fish” sits on an island outside Montgomery, Alabama.
“Spectre,” the fictitious town featured in the film “Big Fish” sits on an island outside Montgomery, Alabama.

Some of the buildings started to collapse, and the Brights tried to clear away the debris, Atlas Obscura reported. When they did, sparks flew and multiple buildings caught fire, leading to the destruction of the town’s “commercial district.”

A large storm and flooding took out more structures in 2020 and 2021, the owners said on Facebook, leaving just a few buildings in their movie-ready condition.

The island still operates as a fishing, camping and hiking destination, where visitors can see a piece of Hollywood about 10 miles north of Montgomery.

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