Most famous film locations in Iceland
Movies that have scenes filmed in Iceland, locations, and details
If you have watched more than 3 movies since the pandemic started then you might be interested in this blog’s subject.
In the past years, it became such a common thing to wander around in Iceland and meet a film crew who is filming something there. From well-known movies to music videos or documentaries, Iceland has hosted film crews who wanted to capture its beauty and tell a story through it.
Even if you are a film lover or not, you will love for sure to know that you have visited or will visit a film location. I searched some of the most famous movies that have scenes filmed in Iceland and put them together by location. So next time you see the movie or you visit Iceland you will know every place that appeared in the movie.
In this blog, you will read about filming locations of:
Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima
The secret life of Walter Mitty
Journey to the center of the Earth
Reykjavik and Reykjanes peninsula
The girl in the café
Year: 2005
Filming locations in Iceland: Reykjavik
The movie is a romantic drama that was filmed partially in Reykjavik, Iceland. The story is about a woman Gina who meets Lawrence by chance, a civil servant working for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He falls in love with her and then he takes her to a G8 summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. There she confronts the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Corin Redgrave) over the issue of third-world debt and poverty in Africa.
At first, Lawrence is embarrassed by her intervention but then he realizes that she is right and tries to help persuade the Chancellor and others at the summit to do something about the issues concerned.
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Bill Nighy, Kelly Macdonald, Meneka Das
The Fifth Estate
was also a movie with some scenes filmed in Iceland.
Year: 2013
Filming locations in Iceland: Reykjavik and Blue Lagoon
According to IMDB, the movie is a biographical thriller that tells the story of WikiLeaks.
Between many of the filming locations, some scenes were filmed in Reykjavik, like the one with the bank collapse and the reporter, and other scenes were filmed at Blue Lagoon.
Directed by: Bill Condon
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten
Flags of our Fathers
and
Letters from Iwo Jima
Year: 2006
Filming locations in Iceland: Sandvik, Reykjanes peninsula.
The black sandy beaches from Reykjanes peninsula inspired the producers of “Flags of our Fathers” to film there some scenes, recreating the Iwo Jima in Japan.
The same director Clint Eastwood produced the movie “Letters from Iwo Jima” which tells the story of the battle for Iwo Jima through the eyes of the Japanese soldiers.
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Year:2013
Filming locations in Iceland: All over Iceland
The movie tells the story of the manager of the negative assets sector of Life magazine who, at the moment he is about to lose his job decides to embark on an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.
The action of the movie takes place in the US, Greenland, Iceland, and the Himalayas, but in fact, the scenes were filmed only in the US and Iceland. Here are some locations of the scenes filmed in Iceland: The scenes representing Greenland were shot in the towns Stykkishólmur and Grundarfjörður on the Snæfellsnes peninsula;
The movie was filmed in the east of Iceland in Höfn (portraying the Nuuk airport from Greenland); one scene was shot on Bláfjöll at a place 20 mins away from Reykjavik; Garður is also the filming location a fishing village near Keflavik International Airport; Also the scene with Papa John’s Geirabakarí Kaffihus was filmed in Borganes.
The parts of the movie representing Nepal and the Himalayas were shot in the south of the country and the area of Vatnajokull Glacier, more specifically in Skogafoss and Fjallsárlón. In east Iceland, in Seyðisfjarðarvegur, Seydisfjordur has filmed the longboarding sequence.
Directed by: Ben Stiller
Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Sean Penn
Noah
Year: 2014
Filming locations in Iceland: Reynisfjara; Fossvogur and Raufarhólshellir cave in Reykjavik; Lake Keflarvatn in Reykjanes peninsula; Mývatn.
As the movie is about the beginning of the world, the producers of Noah thought that Iceland would picture perfectly that landscape of the pure and untouched world.
The movie was filmed mostly on the black beach at Reynisfjara, but it has also some sequences filmed at Fossvogur Raufarhólshellir cave in Reykjavik, some at Lake Keflarvatn, and other sequences at Mývatn in North Iceland.
Director: Ray Comfort
Stars: Ray Comfort, Jeff Collins, Kevan Brighting
Black Mirror
Year: 2017
Filming locations in Iceland: Reykjavik
“Black Mirror” is a TV series that unveils how modern technologies can backfire and be used against their makers, every episode is set in a slightly different reality with different characters combating different types of technologies.
Scenes filmed in Reykjavik for the third episode of season 4, were perfect for portraying a bleak view of the future.
The episode showed all the major sights within downtown Reykjavik as Reykjavík’s City Hall, Reykjavík’s City Pond Tjörnin, and Harpa Concert and Conference Hall.
Creator: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Daniel Lapaine, Hannah John-Kamen, Michaela Coel
Love on Iceland
Year:2020
Filming locations in Iceland: downtown Reykjavik; Bubble Hotel; Svínafellsjökull Glacier; the Secret Lagoon; Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
This movie describes perfectly the impression you have when you come to Iceland, as the main themes of the movie are about how the outstanding beauty of nature in Iceland can help you rediscover yourself.
The story is about a girl Chloe, a podcast producer who decides to visit Iceland with a group of friends. In Iceland, she meets her former lover Charlie and while they are exploring the breathtaking landscapes they fall in love.
Director: Clare Niederpruem
Starring: Kaitlin Doubleday, Colin Donnell, Preston Sadleir
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon is another filming location preferred by some movie producers.
Hostel: Part II
Year: 2007
Filming locations in Iceland: Blue Lagoon
“The Hostel” is a horror movie that according to IMDB tells the story of “2 American men who, on the flip side of the coin, are willing to pay to join an exclusive club where a life will end at their hands…any way they like.
It’s a story of human monsters and the almighty dollar as only Eli Roth could tell it.”
The scenes from Blue Lagoon are included also in the trailer of the movie so you will recognize the place.
Director: Eli Roth
Stars: Lauren German, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips
“The Fifth Estate” has also some scenes filmed at Blue Lagoon.
Land Ho!
Year: 2014
Filming locations in Iceland: Blue Lagoon; Skógar; Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon; Landmannalaugar; Gullfoss; Strokkur.
This is another movie that shows you a glimpse of Iceland. From the lively nightlife to the beautiful natural landscape this movie shows you what awaits you if you come to visit Iceland.
“Land Ho!” is a comedy that tells the story of two brothers who decide to go on a road trip to Iceland to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites.
Directed by: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens
Starring: Earl Lynn Nelson, Paul Eenhoorn, Daníel Gylfason
Sandvik
On Reykjanes peninsula there is a black sand beach that is popular for tourists as there is a bridge known for being the bridge between continents. The bridge crosses the Mid-Atlantic rift on the valley between the Eurasian continental plate and the American continental plate.
Being a beautiful and large volcanic wasteland this place was perfect for some movie directors to film there. On Sandvik were filmed scenes for two movies directed by Clint Eastwood: “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters of Iwo Jima” and also there were filmed some scenes for the movie “Noah” directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Snæfellsnes peninsula
Journey to the centre of the Earth
Year: 2008
Filming locations in Iceland: Snæfellsjökull glacier/volcano
With indescribable beauty and uniqueness, Snæfellsjökull glacier/volcano was the perfect place to film some scenes for this movie.
It tells the story of a scientist, his nephew, and their mountain guide who discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the centre of the earth while they are trying to find out what happened to the missing brother of the scientist.
The accessibility of the Snæfellsjökull glacier/volcano made it the perfect place to film the scenes in which they protected themselves from the storm by entering a cave where they get trapped inside because of the blocked entrance.
Director: Eric Brevig
Stars: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem
The movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” has also some scenes filmed in Snæfellsnes peninsula, more specifically in the town Stykkishólmur and in Grundarfjörður. The scenes were representing Greenland.
Game of Thrones
Year: 2011-2019
Filming locations in Iceland: All over Iceland
Probably the most famous TV series that brought the landscapes of Iceland to the public’s attention. Almost everyone heard about the series Game of Thrones even if they watched it or not.
But how many of you recognized the filming locations? Some of you probably have visited those locations without knowing that some scenes from the series were filmed there.
Kirkjufel Mountain and Kirljufellfoss are the most famous tourist places in the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
This mountain is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland and appeared in season 6 episode 5 together with Kirkjufellfoss in the scene where the children of the forest created the first White Walker.
The mountain also appeared in season 7 episode 6 described as the “Arrowhead mountain” by the heroes who go north of the wall.
Creators: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington
Þingvellir National Park
Game of Thrones
Year: 2011-2019
Filming locations in Iceland: All over Iceland
Game of Thrones filmed scenes in Iceland for all seasons. So for season one creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss chose Þingvellir National Park as a location for filming some scenes for episode 5.
The National Park can be seen as the narrow path leading to the Eyrie, when Littlefinger and Sansa Stark arrive at the Eyrie and when Catelyn Stark arrives at her sister.
Þingvellir National Park is one of the most popular places in Iceland and is also unique for its historical, cultural, and geological significance (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Best known for the thing that the Mid-Atlantic Rift passes through this park and separates the Eurasian continental plate and the American continental plate.
Skógafoss
Game of Thrones
Year: 2011-2019
Filming locations in Iceland: All over Iceland
Skógafoss waterfall appears also in the “Game of Thrones” series in the first episode of season 8 when John and Daenerys ride the dragons and then stop in front of multi-tiered ice-coated waterfalls.
Skógafoss appears as the basis for the central waterfall the other waterfalls were added digitally.
Photo source: HBO
The waterfall appears also in a scene in “The secret life of Walter Mitty”.
Thor 2: The Dark World
Year: 2013
Filming locations in Iceland: All over Iceland
When you hear Thor you probably think of Nordic countries as the name has Nordic origins. And as you expected the movie Thor has some scenes filmed in Iceland.
The dramatic waterfall at Skógafoss, Iceland, was used in sequences set in the mythical home of the gods, Asgard.
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba
Vik and surroundings (Mýrdalssandur Beach, Reynisfjara Beach, Dyrholæy)
Game of Thrones
Year: 2011-2019
Filming locations in Iceland: All over Iceland
This TV series can be the leitmotif for this blog as I am going to talk a lot about it.
The scenes filmed at Reynisfjara beach appear in Eastwatch By The Sea, where the men in the night’s watch guard the wall in season 7 episodes 5 and 6.
Also in Eastwatch By The Sea appears another landmark in South Iceland, Dyrholæy.
Star Trek: Into Darkness
Year: 2013
Filming locations in Iceland: Reynsfjara
The black sand coastline inspired producers and visual effects designers and after filming some scenes on Reynsfjara coastline they integrated digitally in other scenes some landscapes from the black sand beaches in Iceland.
Directed by: J. J. Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch
The movie “Noah” was also filmed on the black beach at Reynisfjara.
Captain America: Civil War
Year: 2016
Filming locations in Iceland: Vik
The second Marvel movie filmed in Iceland, Captain America: Civil War, had some scenes filmed in Vik. The cliffs, snow-capped mountains, and frozen lakes in South Iceland double as the Winter Soldier’s land in the movie.
Directed by: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Year: 2016
Filming locations in Iceland: Reynisfjara’s Black Sand Beach; Lake Mývatn; Mýrdalssandur Black Sand Beach; Hjörleifshöfði, Hafursey
The creators of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” considered that Reynisfjara’s Black Sand Beach and the active volcanic region of Krafla, in Lake Mývatn, in North Iceland, are the best places to double the landscape of the eerie planet of Eadu.
Also, the landscape of Mýrdalssandur Black Sand Beach and the green mountains of Hjörleifshöfði and Hafursey both near the town of Vik represented the Planet Lah’mu in the movie.
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon served as a filming location for many well-known movies. If you went to Iceland you may recognize them, if not, you will recognize them if you will re-watch the movie.
There was a movie filmed in Iceland way back before Iceland became a well-known destination worldwide and that is a movie from the series ‘James Bond: A View to a Kill’.
James Bond: A View to a Kill
Year: 1985
Filming locations in Iceland: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
In the movie, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon represents Siberia where James Bond was sent to locate the body of Agent 003 and recover a microchip.
Directed by: John Glen
Starring: Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts
James Bond was not filmed just once in Iceland but twice. In 2002 a second movie from the James Bond series was filmed there.
Die another day
The movie used the same filming location: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. For this movie, they had to freeze the lagoon to be able to make the chasing car scene there.
The lagoon never freezes naturally, or at least not in such a thick layer as is connected to the ocean water. Sometimes it may be a thin layer of ice when the temperature is negative outside.
Director: Lee Tamahori
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Rosamund Pike
Another well-known movie from the beginning of the third millennium is
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Released in 2001, the movie was filmed also at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
The creators of “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” used Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon as a filming location for the scene representing, again, Siberia.
The fun fact here is that you can also go on a boat ride on the Glacier Lagoon as they did in the movie. Check out here the tours available.
Directed by: Simon West
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Iain Glen
The movie “Land Ho!” had also some scenes filmed at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Vatnajökull National Park
Batman begins
Year: 2005
Filming locations in Iceland: Svínafellsjökull Glacier;
The story is about young Bruce Wayne becoming Batman after his parents died. After training with his mentor Batman begins with fighting against crime and corruption in Gotham City.
The sword training scene was filmed at Svínafellsjökull Glacier and the Icelandic landscape represented Bhutan in the Himalayas.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
Prometheus
Year: 2012
Filming locations in Iceland: Dettifoss, Hekla, Vatnajökull National Park
You may hear people talking about Iceland as “Planet Iceland”, which is what the creators of Prometheus also thought. The movie tells the story of a group of searchers who were investigating the extinction of the human species.
The crew embarks on the spaceship Prometheus on a journey to the darkest parts of the universe. The shots of the alien world were filmed in Iceland.
Even from the beginning of the movie Dettifoss Waterfall where was filmed the scene shows the origins of times. Other scenes were filmed at the base of the Hekla active Volcano.
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba
Oblivion
Year: 2013
Filming locations in Iceland: Hrossaborg, Jarlhettur, and Drekavatn
Iceland looks like the perfect place for picturing a future world and that’s why many movies with sci-fi stories had scenes filmed in Iceland.
Oblivion’s story is happening in 2077 on Saturn’s moon where humanity was relocated after a war with the aliens that destroyed the Earth. What other place is the perfect one for picturing another planet than Iceland?!
The producing team had some challenges when it came to filming the scene at Earl’s Peak, not far away from Langjökull Glacier, and that was because the location was accessible only by helicopter.
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melissa Leo
Interstellar
Year: 2014
Filming locations in Iceland: Máfabót, Orrustuhóll and Svínafellsjökull
Movie director Christopher Nolan loved the Icelandic landscape so much that decided to come back for filming a second movie here. Icelandic relief served many times for the role of another planet or an extra-terrestrial landscape.
Also in the movie, the scenes filmed in Iceland represented two planets: one covered in ice, hence the location at Svínafellsjökull, and the other one in a seemingly endless ocean.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Caine
At Vatnajökull National Park filmed some scenes for the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”.
Detifoss waterfall
The most powerful waterfall in all of Europe, Detifoss gives a unique and powerful landscape taken from another planet. That is the reason why some movie producers chose the waterfall as a filming location.
The movies which had scenes filmed there are “Prometheus” (2012); “Oblivion” (2013) and “Thor: The Dark World” (2013).
Mývatn area and Krafla Volcano
The geothermal area from Mývatn and the volcanic relief from Krafla served as filming locations for the “Game of Thrones” series, for the movies “Oblivion”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, “Rogue One: The Star Wars Story”. There were also filmed scenes for:
The Tree of Life
Year: 2011
Filming locations in Iceland: Krafla; Mývatn; Námafjall
As for the movie “Noah”, the Icelandic landscape served again for picturing the beginning of the world in the movie “The Tree of Life”.
The rough volcanic relief and the bubbling hot springs in the area near Krafla Volcano show in the movie how the world looked at the beginning.
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain
The Fate of the Furious: Fast & Furious 8
Year: 2017
Filming locations in Iceland: Lake Mývatn
The famous series “Fast & Furious” filmed some scenes in Iceland for their 8th movie.
The scene with the chasing cars with tanks and the submarine cracking the ice was filmed on the frozen lake of Mývatn in North Iceland.
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson
Justice League
Year: 2017
Filming locations in Iceland: Djúpavík; Fjallsjökull
Scenes filmed in Iceland for “Justice League” appear even from the beginning of the movie. In the opening scene appears the magnificent Fjallsjökull glacier with its blue sharp crevasses.
The scene with Batman standing on the edge of the Djúpavíkurfoss waterfall and looking down at the old herring factory from Djúpavík was filmed in Djúpavík village in northwest Iceland. They also filmed some scenes in the herring factory.
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa
Stokksnes
Stardust
Year: 2007
Filming locations in Iceland: Stokksnes
“Stardust” is a fantasy movie that tells the story of a young man who makes a promise to his loved ones that he will retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm.
For this movie, the producers chose Stokksnes in South-East Iceland to film some scenes. The black sand beach washed by ocean waves with Vestrahorn mountains in the background looks indeed like a magical place.
In the movie, they added virtually some ice blocks on the beach which in reality you will not find on Stokksnes beach but on Diamond Beach which is about one hour drive south from Stokksnes.
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Sienna Miller
Húsavík
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Year: 2020
Filming locations in Iceland: Reykjavik; Húsavík; Gullfoss Falls
Nothing more authentic than a movie about Iceland filmed in Iceland. Indeed, it was not filmed the entire movie in Iceland but “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” is a comedy which shows part of Iceland that include also the people and their lifestyle.
The movie is a Netflix production that tells the story of two musicians Lars and Sigrit who are given the chance to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest. The duo has the chance to demonstrate that a dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for.
The song “Húsavík” from the movie was nominated at the Oscars 2021 in the category of Best Original Song.
Directed by: David Dobkin
Starring: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens
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