North Wales has welcomed film crews from the likes of Sky, HBO, Netflix and the BBC to the area over the last few years.
From Game of Thrones (GoT) spin-off House of the Dragon to Six Minutes to Midnight - a movie starring Dame Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent and Eddie Izzard, North Wales has seen it all.
The second season of the hit HBO series House of the Dragon began last month, with new episodes dropping each Monday in the UK.
Scenes from the new series were shot in various locations across North Wales including the likes of Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy as they doubled for The Vale, the Riverlands and Dragonstone.
Two old Welsh quarries were also used as exteriors for Dragonstone and Harrenhal castles.
Creative Director of Severn Screen, Ed Talfan, added: “North Wales is a dream location for film and television projects.
"Dramatic landscapes abound – from the rugged beauty of Eryri to the sweeping coastlines, the region has everything.
"We spent three years making the series HIDDEN/CRAITH – and shot in locations across the north.
"The landscape played such an integral part in creating a real sense of place throughout the series. It really is a very special place.”
TV shows and movies filmed in North Wales
House of the Dragons (HBO)
Three locations in North Wales were used for the filming of GoT spin-off House of the Dragon:
- Barmouth
- Anglesey
- Conwy
Filming also took place in Trefor and Dinorwig Quarry.
Watchmen (HBO and Sky Atlantic)
The HBO series, which was released by HBO back in 2019, features Penrhyn Castle in Bangor.
Filming for the series took place at the Bangor-based castle in September 2018, according to The Bangor Aye.
Jeremy Irons, who plays one of the main characters - Ozymandias in the show, was seen several times during that month.
The HBO series also features the likes of Regina King, Don Johnson, Tom Mison and Tim Blake-Nelson.
The Almond and the Seahorse
Drama/Indie movie The Almond and the Seahorse, which stars Australian actress Rebel Wilson, was filmed in Wrexham - made famous around the world in recent years by Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Welcome to Wrexham (Disney+)
The North Wales city also featured in Welcome to Wrexham - the Disney+ series about Wrexham AFC - owned by Reynolds and McElhenney.
Six Minutes to Midnight
Parts of the World War II-era movie Six Minutes to Midnight were filmed on the Llandudno Promenade.
Eddie Izzard was seen filming in Llandudno for the movie back in 2018.
The film also stars other big-name actors/actresses including Dame Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent and Celyn Jones (who also featured alongside Rebel Wilson in The Almond and the Seahorse).
Requiem (Netflix)
Part of Netflix series Requiem - which stars the likes of Lydia Wilson, Sian Reese-Williams and Joel Fry - was filmed in the Gwynedd town of Dolgellau.
The Reckoning (BBC)
Steve Coogan was seen in Llandudno back in 2021 filming scenes for BBC mini-series The Reckoning - based on the life of disgraced entertainer Jimmy Savile.
The four-part series aired on the BBC late last year.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV)
Mr Bates vs The Post Office showcased the "greatest miscarriage of justice in British legal history" - the Horizon IT scandal which saw hundreds of sub-postmasters and postmistresses wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system.
The ITV series was filmed and released in 2023 and starred Toby Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger and The Hunger Games) and Coronation Street's Julie Hesmondhalgh.
ITV crews used Craig-y-Don and Llandudno as filming locations for parts of the series.
The Secret Garden
A remake of The Secret Garden was released in 2020.
A section of the movie - starring Julie Walters (Harry Potter franchise, Mamma Mia!) and Colin Firth (Bridget Jones movies, Kingsman) - was filmed at Bodnant Garden in Tal-y-Cafn (Conwy county).
Hidden (BBC)
BBC series Hidden (Craith) was filmed predominantly in North Wales with production crews using various locations including Bangor, Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and Caernarfon.
The Gorge (Apple TV)
Film crews were spotted in Llandudno last year, in town for the filming of the new Apple TV film The Gorge.
Film crews set up on Llandudno's West Shore, with filming taking place in a churchyard and around the Great Orme.
The movie features some big-name Hollywood actors including Sigourney Weaver (Alien), Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick) and Anya Taylor-Joy (Queen's Gambit, The Menu).
Growing North Wales film industry creating new job opportunities
Creative Wales - a Welsh Government agency established in 2020 to support the creative industries in Wales - said the growing film industry in North Wales was not only putting a spotlight on the incredible locations across the region but was also creating new job opportunities for locals.
With the help of Creative Wales, House of the Dragon alone created 250 jobs for people in the region, all facilitated through CrewHQ, a Warner Bros. Discovery training initiative.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- How North Wales featured as a filming location for movies and dramas this year (2023)
- From Disney Plus series to Hollywood movies, North Wales has become filming hotspot
Head of Sector Development at Creative Wales, Joedi Langley, said: “North Wales has been the chosen location for several high-profile productions, including feature film The Almond and the Seahorse starring Rebel Wilson, TV series The Watchmen for Sky Atlantic, Severn Screen’s Hidden | Craith for BBC Cymru Wales and BBC iPlayer, and factual programme Welcome to Wrexham for FX.
“I’m confident that these productions chose North Wales because of the region’s choice of diverse, stunning landscapes, from Snowdonia National Park to the coastline and ancient castles, not to mention world-class studio space and talented crew.
“We’ve attracted some major players in recent years, including Sky, HBO and Netflix, which are all helping to grow Wales’ reputation as a first-class filming location and tourist destination."
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