Famous Movies Filmed in Iceland’s Breathtaking Landscapes
Iceland has experienced a big boom in tourism over the past several years with numbers exceeding far beyond any predictions. One of the obvious reasons for this, of course, is the stunning Icelandic nature. One can drive around the Ring Road in utter solitude with the road, mountains, and glaciers offering the utmost tranquility. Aside from its quirkiness which also attributes to its popularity, Hollywood movies are a big reason why Iceland’s attractions have caught the limelight.
The number of movie productions utilizing its landscapes as fantastic backdrops and tax incentives has been on the rise. Stay tuned as we explore these iconic Icelandic locations where Hollywood blockbusters were filmed.
Movie buffs have the unique opportunity in Iceland to visit several locations where famous movies have been filmed. Not only is the country small enough to be able to drive to most of these places in a rental car, but they also offer the experience of a lifetime.
James Bond franchise – Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
GPS: 64° 2’34.94″N 16°10’25.70″W
The big breakthrough for Iceland as a movie location is, undoubtedly, the shooting of James Bond at the famous glacial lake Jökulsárlón. Unforgettable scenes in the movie franchise feature fast Aston Martins and ice castles. The lagoon was used in both A View to Kill (1985) and Die Another Day (2002).
In A View to Kill, James Bond (Roger Moore) is killing a busload of Siberians which of course requires ice, hence, the choice of Jökulsárlón and its surroundings. The same goes for Die Another Day where Pierce Brosnan has to fight evil Koreans surrounded with more ice than can fit into his Martini! Unfortunately, we don’t have an Aston Martin for you to rent but we do have a nice fleet of mid-size rental cars!
Angelina Jolie also used the lagoon for the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001). She also was supposed to be in Siberia in her dogsled trips in the film, they also drive on glaciers and go boating in the lake in amphibian boats with angry Russians.
Batman Begins, Interstellar – Svínafellsjökull glacier
GPS: 64° 0’29.22″N 16°52’52.86″W
This glacier has been seen and used in more than one movie. The best-known is probably Batman Begins. There is a scene where a fight takes place on a frozen lake in Tibet. The director chose Svínafellsjökull for that scene.
To get there, it’s an easy drive to a parking lot just off the Ring road, GPS coordinates are above. It’s also close to the lagoon so you could stop by the glacier, take pics, and move on!
Svínafellsjökull has appeared in a few other movies (and music videos). The Sci-Fi movie Interstellar (2014) also took place on the glacier. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, the movie depicts a team of space explorers traveling through a wormhole in hopes of ensuring the survival of the human race.
Star Wars, Fast and the Furious – Lake Mývatn
GPS: 65°38’30.20″N 16°54’41.20″W
Star Wars and Fast and the Furious are two of the biggest Hollywood franchises, and both feature Iceland’s iconic Lake Mývatn. Fate of the Furious, the 8th film in the Fast and the Furious film series, shows Dom’s (Vin Diesel) life being threatened by a mysterious cyberterrorist who forces him to betray his loved ones. The filming crew came during high winter and shot it on the ice.
Anyone driving the full Ring road will pass the lake (unless you make a detour and drive north before reaching the lake and take the northern route to Húsavík instead). The crew also went to Akranes, a town north of Reykjavík, to shoot a car chasing scene at the big cement factory they have there. (GPS: 64°19’3.10″N 22° 4’33.28″W)
Star Wars: Rogue One was also filmed in parts up here, featuring the nearby Krafla geothermal area as well. (GPS: 65°38’43.61″N 16°48’57.48″W)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
| Garður GPS: 64° 4’5.41″N 22°38’52.67″W | Grundarfjörður GPS: 64°55’34.87″N 23°15’31.24″W |
| Fjallsárlón GPS: 64° 0’37.45″N 16°22’46.02″W | Stykkishólmur GPS: 65° 4’37.51″N 22°43’31.86″W |
| Höfn GPS: 64°15’17.62″N 15°12’31.18″W | Kálfafellsdalur GPS: 64°11’48.05″N 15°56’38.45″W |
| Hveradalir GPS: 64.0202° N, 21.3973° W | Seyðisfjörður GPS: 65°15’35.60″N 14° 0’33.53″W |
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty deserves a chapter of its own. Not only did the filming take place in so many places in Iceland but one might also suspect that it added to the wave of tourists in Iceland. Walter Mitty showcased Iceland and not a fake Siberia, Tibet, or some distant planet. Of all the locations where the movie was shot, the only one you won’t be able to visit by yourself is Hveradalur. It’s up in the Icelandic Highlands and can only be reached by air, super jeeps, or guided tours.
In the movie, Walter (Ben Stiller) must save his and his colleagues’ careers to find a photographer in a remote location. Walter’s efforts take him on an extraordinary global adventure with some incredible scenery. In this movie Ben is not a comedian, it’s quite a serious message and they really depict Iceland in a very beautiful manner, inspiring many to travel here.
Game of Thrones – Þingvellir National Park
GPS: 64°16’43.59″N 21° 5’30.46″W
Game of Thrones has been filmed in several Icelandic locations such as Lake Mývatn, Dimmuborgir, and Þingvellir national park. Some of the popular scenes shot here include the Wildlings’ attack on a village, the shooting of Arya and the hound, and the fight between Brienne and the Hound. Easily accessible by car, a self-drive is one of the best ways to explore these iconic GOT locations in Iceland.
Prometheus – Dettifoss
GPS: 65°49’8.19″N 16°22’45.43″W
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus (2012) takes place in galaxies far away from Earth. The cast starring Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, and Michael Fassbender tries to find the clues to the origin of mankind. They find a structure on a distant moon containing a monolithic statue of a humanoid head and a few stone cylinders containing alien blood and they discover they are not alone.
In the opening scene, we see an alien standing by Dettifoss where he finally falls in and is swept away by the icy glacier water. It is an easy drive from Lake Mývatn but early in the season the road to the parking lot can be rough and even closed, so make sure you check before you embark on the drive.
Journey to the Center of the Earth – Snæfellsjökull glacier
GPS: 64°48’14.39″N 23°44’51.34″W
“A sheet of snow gleamed on the slopes of these distant mountains… the peaks brazenly pierced the grey cloud to reappear above the shifting vapors like reefs, suspended in the sky…” – Jules Verne, Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
Snæfellsnes peninsula has been used as a distant backdrop in several movies, but Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) takes place IN the glacier, well, sort of. Brendan Frazier is on a quest to try to find out what happened to his missing brother who happens to be a scientist. During the trip over the mountains, they discover the entrance to the center of the Earth where they discover a dangerous and lost world.
In the movie, they also enter Vatnshellir cave, another easy-access location just south of the glacier. (GPS: 64°44’51.79″N 23°49’4.48″W)
Hostel 2, The Fifth Estate – The Blue Lagoon
GPS: 63°52’52.51″N 22°27’11.60″W
It would be odd if one of the most famous locations in Iceland, The Blue Lagoon, wasn’t featured in any Hollywood production. One of the films it appears in is the sequel to Eli Roth’s horror movie Hostel 2 (2007)where one of the characters goes to a spa and is followed by a very evil character.
The second movie filmed at The Blue Lagoon was even more popular. It’s The Fifth Estate (2013) starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange, the head of Wikileaks. In the scene, Assange meets up with the politician Birgitta Jónsdóttir. The two of them have a meeting inside the building at the Blue Lagoon.
Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima – Reykjanes peninsula
GPS: 63°51’20.91″N 22°41’39.89″W
The timeless Western star Clint Eastwood filmed two movies that had scenes shot in Iceland. These are Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, which depict the events at Iwo Jima from both sides, the American and the Japanese.
Both movies are filmed in Reykjanes (where you land when you arrive in Iceland). The surroundings are perfect for the movies and it makes a very interesting detour when you visit the Blue Lagoon. One really feels the power of the Atlantic Ocean while out there. Many visit the lighthouse but there are no crowds out there like at many other famous spots in Iceland.
Thor: The Dark World – Skógafoss waterfall
GPS: 63°31’39.67″N 19°30’44.86″W
When driving on the south side of the Ring road, you will stop at the beautiful Skógafoss waterfall featured in the Marvel movie, Thor: The Dark World (2013).
When Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) gets cursed by a powerful entity known as the Aether, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) announces the cosmic event known as the Convergence and the genocidal Dark Elves.
A few shots were filmed way up in the Highlands, deep in its interior, places you can’t reach without the aid of professionals but you can drive to Skógafoss in the smallest of rental cars!
Like in several other films, Iceland has been used to produce a world suitable for distant planets, and hostile environments, and to underline general despair and mayhem and we love it. Will be very interesting to see what the future holds.
Iceland being a small country is to explore on a self-drive tour. This includes famous locations that have provided the perfect backdrop for some of the most iconic films and TV shows of our time. Whether you’re a movie buff or an adventurer, visiting these locations offers a unique chance to step into scenes from your favorite films while experiencing the breathtaking scenery firsthand.