The glitz and glamour of Hollywood is not as far away as you think. The UK has an astounding number of film locations, many right on our doorstep.
We’ve collated the highest-grossing blockbusters that have taken advantage of the ample and assorted locations throughout Surrey and Hampshire. Who knew video production in Hampshire and Surrey could be so popular?
A number of these will leave you in astonishment as the British scenery can be dressed to look almost unrecognisable. With the added bonus of the exact minute, these locations have been featured, you’ll know exactly when to look out for it.
Hampshire
1. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avenges: Age of Ultron used Hawley Woods for a few scenes, the most prominent being the attack launched by the fictitious country ‘Sokovia’.
2. Inception
Farnborough airport is no stranger to film sets and has been used in a few blockbusters. The airport is featured when Leonardo DiCaprio vacates the plane carrying himself, Ken Watanabe and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
3. The Da Vinci Code
Winchester Cathedral was used for both interior and exterior shots for the film adaptation of Dan Brown’s best-selling novel. The meeting with the pope in the Vatican was actually the cathedral’s interior.
4. Transformers: The Last Knight
Exterior shots of the submarine pursuit scene with Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins and Laura Haddock were filmed at The Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Roughly 300 fans gathered to watch the short sequence take place over 3 days.
5. Quantum of Solace
In this instalment of the franchise, Daniel Craig flies to Austria to follow a lead. The private jets are situated in Farnborough airport. The airport itself and runway are featured throughout the movie.
6. World War Z
When Brad Pitt is fighting the undead while trying to evacuate his family, they were actually in Aldershot Barracks. The scene depicting a helicopter landing atop an apartment complex was a set with a green screen inside the barracks.
7. Les Misérables
The iconic opening scene of Les Misérables, Hugh Jackman is serving the last of his prison sentence. Along with other prisoners, they are guiding a ship into the dock. This is filmed on location of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, with some added CGI to give an authentic, historical look.
8. Die Another Day
The opening scene is in Hawley Woods, Piers Brosnan surfs his way into ‘Korea’. Then escaping by helicopter, all shot within the woods themselves.
Surrey
1. Beauty & The Beast
The majority of Disney’s remake, starring Emma Watson was filmed in a studio. However, Jelly’s Hollow was used for many of the woodland scenes. They were edited to keep the look more consistent with the rest of the film.
2. Skyfall
Bond’s childhood home is instantly recognisable to any Bond fan, having appears in several of the films. However, when you see Daniel Craig driving towards the building through the grounds, it is actually all fabricated on Hankley Common and not a real house at all.
3. Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince
Daniel Radcliffe’s title character often explores Bourne Woods. It has been used for numerous scenes to depict woodland. Also including Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
4. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Matthew Lewis, also known as Neville Longbottom, can be seen wading in Virginia Water Lake. While Daniel Radcliffe discusses a book, they are soon joined by Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Bonnie Wright in the ‘Great Lake’.
5. Gladiator
The battle ground of Germania is Bourne Wood. This woodland has featured in many period movies due to its unspoiled, ancient appearance. Russell Crowe lead the Romans into a combat.
6. Inception
Joseph Gordon Levitt manipulates a staircase in a dream sequence with Ellen Page. The stairs themselves were filmed in an office, on Hillswood Drive in Chertsey, then clever CGI is used to manipulate them into a Penrose staircase.
7. Kingsman: The Secret Service
Colin Firth’s gruesome fight scene within a church is one of the most memorable scenes on the film. The setting calls for a classic southern church in the USA. Many would be forgiven in thinking this church was in America, it is in fact The Garrison Church of St Barbara’s in Camberley.
8. The Mummy
When Brendan Fraser leaps from a burning boat and swims to the safety of the banks of the Nile, the audience is easily transported to the exotics of Egypt. However, these riverbanks are none other than the banks of Frensham Ponds, cleverly disguised.
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