PITTSBURGH — The story of a famous Pennsylvania chocolatier is coming to the big screen by the end of 2026.

The Western Pennsylvania-filmed “Hershey” will hit theaters on Thanksgiving, distributor Angel announced Monday, the same day a first-look trailer was released.

The biopic, which wrapped production at the end of June, filmed in 17 Pennsylvania locations, including Hershey and Butler County’s Harmony. Also on the call sheet were Dawson, in Fayette County, with Linden Hall mansion serving as founder Milton S. Hershey’s residence, and in Pittsburgh in the Strip District, South Side and Downtown.

Some of those locations can be seen in the trailer, including an expansive shot of the Linden Hall estate and its interior. While filming, streets and structures were transformed to reflect the late-1800s through the early 1900s, to tell the story of Hershey (played by Finn Wittrock), his wife Catherine “Kitty” (Alexandra Daddario) and the iconic Hershey brand.

The cast also includes Alan Ruck (“Succession”) as Milton’s father, Henry Hershey, and Richard Kind (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Joseph Royer, the man who gave Milton his first candy-making job. David Costabile (“Breaking Bad”) plays the villain, as fictitious rival candymaker Tobias Thornhill.

Overall, the production crew designed a total of 74 different sets for the movie, per Monday’s release, while Daddario wore 54 different period costumes. The film features almost 300 principal and 2,000 background costumes.

The Hershey Company and the Milton Hershey School were involved in the film’s production. Local Pittsburgh businesses, including Betsy Ann’s Chocolates, were also recruited to make candy props for filming.

“Just about everyone knows the Hershey name through chocolate, but what immediately drew me to Milton’s story were the obstacles and struggles he overcame to achieve his success,” director Mark Waters said in the release. “And then, unlike many wealthy men of his time (and ours), he chose to share that success with the working people and the community around him.

“That spirit, embodied by the love story between Milton and Catherine Hershey is the core of our movie and led to the creation of the still-thriving Milton Hershey School.”

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