Be in the Movies in Iceland!

We don’t mean going to the cinema during your visit to Iceland (although you’re more than welcome to check out our cinema scene!). We are talking about how filmmakers, both for the big screen and small, have turned to our wondrous scenery for cinematic backdrops!

So many shots for TV and movies in Iceland

Your Friend in Reykjavik has a few favourite movies and TV shows to share with you. You would expect a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, with many superheroes and adventurers. We have many magical locations, and some famous shots may surprise you!

A View to a Kill

Let’s start with some classic Bond, James Bond! A View to a Kill opens with James escaping Siberia on skis while being chased by gunmen on a helicopter. That’s not Siberia, but the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier in Vatnajökull National Park in southeastern Iceland. You may not find that iceberg submarine, but it is still spectacular! And you can also take a boat ride on the lake if you want!

Justice League

Of course, Aquaman would take refuge in a small fishing village in Iceland! You can retrace his steps in the Justice League if you find yourself in Djúpavík in the Westfjords region. Just make sure you get permission to jump in the geothermal pools. Jason Mamoa didn’t, but he was forgiven. You may be safer going to a nearby community pool.

From Jason Mamoa’s Instagram

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Ben Stiller’s 2013 remake of the Danny Kaye classic takes him all over the world, including Iceland. But what a trip is made for this movie in Iceland. Seyðisfjörður played the part of Iceland, including that fantastic downhill skateboarding scene! But Stykkishólmur doubled as Greenland, and parts of Vatnajökull National Park passed for Afghanistan if you can believe it.

Letters from Iwo Jima / Flags of Our Fathers

It’s one thing to be an imaginary location, but selecting Iceland to double for Japan is inspired! Sandvik, located in the southeast peninsula, is ideally situated for a quick side trip during a visit to Reykjavik. And Clint Eastwood found black sand beaches ideal for filming the dual tales of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima.

This iconic moment — from Japan!

Game of Thrones

With a title that includes “The Song of Ice and Fire”, it would be more of a surprise if Game of Thrones wasn’t filmed in Iceland. You could spend your entire visit in Iceland, checking out all the locations. With its otherworldly landscapes, Thingvellir National Park was perfect for the Land Beyond the Wall. Fans will recognize Svínafellsjökull glacier, Grjótagjá geothermal pools, Skaftafell National Park, and so many more places.

Sense8

The Netflix sci-fi phenomenon features an Icelandic character, so there should be some on-location scenes! The series is all sci-fi, but it features our home town, Reykjavik. We visit the Reykjavik airport, Reykjavik University, Harpa concert Hall, and more throughout every season. If you are a super Sense8 fan, maybe we can make sure to make some unique stops on a private walking tour!

Sense8 takes you inside the Keflavik Airport!

Avengers, Batman, Star Wars, and More!!

This list is extremely short compared to how much filming happens here in Iceland! Watch the new Star Wars films; you may recognize our snowy, rolling, craggy, stunning landscapes. Check out the “Crocodile” episode of Black Mirror, and you may see Lake Kleifarvatn. The imaginative Ice Palace on the Glacier Lagoon in western Iceland, where all the action happened in Die Another Day, inspired the Icehotel in Sweden. And who would be surprised that Dettifoss Waterfall inspired the Avenger Thor’s Asgard home? Some shots from Captain America Civil War and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were also in Iceland! And we haven’t even talked about the music videos (And it’s not all Björk and Sigur Rós!).

Your Friend in Reykjavik makes you a star in Iceland!

Let us help your visit to Iceland to be a blockbuster too! Your Friend in Reykjavik will not only show you the best of our city with fantastic walking tours, from folklore to food, but our team is also happy to share our star-studded city and country with you! 

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