North Wales has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, something that Hollywood has taken full advantage of over the years. North Wales has been the filming location for big hitting blockbusters and cult classics alike, with the majestic mountain ranges and beautiful sandy beaches acting as a backdrop to some spectacular storylines.
Here at Darwin Escapes headquarters we love a good movie (and even some bad ones), and with 4 luxury destinations across the North Wales coast, we thought we would look at how many movies were filmed here. We’ve listed all our favourite movies that have used this historic region as a location for their movie, and we may have slipped in the names of our stunning North Wales locations too, so keep an eye out for them!
wonder woman 1984
Year: 2020 / Shooting location: Snowdonia
The brand new Wonder Woman sequel, starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, has had certain shots filmed in Snowdonia. The crew filmed in the area during June 2019 and were using the famous Swallow Falls waterfalls for a fight scene, with one of the stuntmen apparently jumping across the fall!
the legend of tarzan
Year: 2014 / Shooting location: Snowdonia
The movie stars Alexander Skassgard, Margot Robbie and Samuel L Jackson and tells the story of the King of the Jungle. Filming took place for a week at the old Dinorwig Slate Quarry in Snowdonia, if you wanted to look where the filming took place follow the public footpaths, but you will probably need a lot more clothes than Tarzan did.
king arthur: legend of the sword
Year: 2017 / Shooting location: Various locations in North Wales
Another big budget movie came to North Wales in 2017, director Guy Ritchie chose the region for his interpretation of the King Arthur legend, which starred Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law and Eric Bana. They shot the movie in various locations, including Vivian Quarry near Llanberis, Nant Gwynant near Beddlegert and Capel Curig in Conwy (which is not too far from our owners only destination, Aberconwy Resort & Spa…)
clash of the titans
Year: 2010 / Shooting location: Snowdonia & Angelsey
The Dinorwig slate quarry in Snowdonia is a fairly popular shooting location in North Wales, as it can be transformed to look like almost anywhere, including ancient Greece. The mythological tale of Perseus was retold, with Liam Neeson playing Zeus and Sam Worthington portraying his son, Perseus. Shooting took place in both the slate quarry and Newborough Forest on Anglesey, which doubled at the movie’s volcano scene.
highlander
Year: 1986 / Shooting location: Conwy
Highlander is over 30 years old and still enjoys a very strong cult following, with fans loving the fantasy story line and the action packed flick. The movie stars Sean Connery, Chris Lambert, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart. The final climactic scene was filmed in Sychnant Pass in the beautiful county of Conwy, the pass actually winds through the Snowdonia Mountain Range (also not a million miles from our New Pines Holiday Home Park destination…we offer holidays and ownership here!)
lara croft tomb raider: cradle of life
Year: 2003 / Shooting locations: Beddgelert & Snowdonia
The huge blockbuster movie, starring Angelina Jolie, turned Llyn Gwynant, near Beddgelert into a Chinese village for this film. Having been turned down to film the movie in China, the production looked to North Wales to help them. They used Llyn Gwynant and the Dinorwig Slate Quarry in Snowdonia to create Lara Crofts world of action and adventure.
the secret garden
Year: 2020 / Shooting location: Colwyn Bay
The up-coming movie tells the classic story of an orphaned girl living with her uncle and cousin, then uncovering a secret garden and the tales that go with it. The new movie stars Julie Walters and Colin Firth. The production crew used Colwyn Bay’s world famous Bodnant Gardens for a few scenes in the film, you can visit these stunning gardens when you holiday with us at Talacre Beach Resort!
the wold is not enough
Year: 1999 / Shooting location: Snowdonia
This was the 19th instalment in the James Bond series and starred Pierce Brosnan as 007 himself. Brosnan faced off against villain Renard, played by Robert Carlyle and of course was globetrotting during the shoot. The Snowdonia National Park was transformed into Kazakhstan for the movie.
willow
Year: 1988 / Shooting location: Snowdonia
Although Willow was a considered a critical flop, the movie has gone on to gain a huge cult following and effectively launched the career of Warwick Davis. The movie was written by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, two of the 80’s big hitters in Hollywood. Nockmar Castle plays a large role in Willow and the shooting location for the castle was actually in the Snowdonia National Park. Warwick Davis made our list of one of the celebrities who own a holiday home, take a look at the other 9 in our post here.
the crown
Year: 2016 – present / Shooting location: Caernarfon
This one isn’t a movie, but each episode so spectacular it may as well be. Netflix’s The Crown showcases the Royal family like never before, the new series stars Olivia Coleman and Helena Bonham-Carter. Season 3 is set to air during the Autumn on Netflix and will show the 1960’s era of the Royals, including Charles’ investiture at the Prince of Wales, which was filmed in the stunning Caernarfon Castle. The Castle is a sight to see and you can explore it yourself when you holiday or own with us at Seaview Holiday Home Park!
There are lots more movies shot in North Wales, but these were our top picks, was your favourite in our list? There are a large number of TV shows that film in Wales, showcasing what a beautiful county it is and how striking the landscape really is.
Why not learn more about our luxurious North Wales destinations? Places where you can holiday or own your own holiday home with us here at Darwin Escapes and start exploring all the shooting locations you’ve read about in this post.
Our family friendly locations, Talacre Beach Resort and New Pines Holiday Home Park, offer fantastic facilities including indoor swimming pools, children’s entertainment programmes, fun activity schedules and evening family entertainment. Seaview Holiday Home Park boasts unrivalled views of the North Wales coastline, ideally placed to explore the local area too, you can relax on your private decking while soaking up the peaceful atmosphere. Or, opt for sheer luxury at Aberconwy Resort & Spa, just a stone’s throw from the Conwy Morfa beach and showcasing 5 star facilities, including the Aberconwy Spa, Signatures Restaurant and a beautiful indoor swimming pool.
Darwin Escapes has so much to offer in North Wales, you are sure to find what you’re searching for with us. Book your North Wales holiday here.
Call our dedicated ownership team for information about owning your own holiday home on 01745 858010, or talk to an advisor via our Live Chat service.