With coast, countryside, grand stately homes, woodland, villages and more, it is no wonder film productions choose to shoot in Hampshire. Here are 21 big screen hits that were made here
1) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Back in November 2014, Tom Cruise and the Mission Impossible production team started filming scenes for the fifth instalment in Southampton.
2) Die Another Day (2002)
When Bond (Pierce Brosnan) visits North Korea locations such as Newquay and Pinewood Studios are used for scenes. But even closer to home, airborne shots were taken above the army base in Aldershot.
3) 24: Live Another Day (2014)
Ok, so we know this isn’t a film, but it’s surely worth a mention? Jack Bauer fans will have seen Aldershot Military Barracks and the docks in Southampton during the 2014 thriller series.
4) Tommy (1975)
The film adaptation of The Who’s rock opera was largely filmed in Hampshire and Hayling Island. Locations such as Fratton Station, Hilsea Lido and South Parade Pier in Southsea were all used. During filming, the curtains in South Parade Pier caught fire and footage of the event was actually incorporated into the movie’s climax.
5) World War Z (2013)
Part of this zombie apocalypse thriller starring Brad Pitt and Matthew Fox was filmed in Hampshire. The location was Aldershot’s Military Barracks and during filming both Brad Pitt and wife Angelina Jolie were present.
6) Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
The reception for wedding three in the BAFTA award winning romantic comedy was filmed inside Rotherfield Park, just south of Alton.
7) Rush (2013)
Director Ron Howard was at Blackbushe Airport to shoot scenes for Rush. The film is based on the fight for the 1976 F1 World Championship between James Hunt and Niki Lauda.
8) Les Misérables (2013)
During the opening scene of one of 2013’s most popular films, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) and Javert (Russell Crowe) both appear in Portsmouth at the Historic Dockyard... No.9 Dock to be precise.
9) Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
The opening scene of this sequel to the Chris Pratt led film rebooting the Jurassic Park franchise was filmed at Hartland Park near Farnborough, a location likely better known as the old jet engine testing site at Pyestock.
10) War Horse (2011)
Legendary director Stephen Spielberg used the cavalry barracks at Stratfield Saye in his 2011 film, War Horse. The cavalry charge scene was filmed on the grounds of the barracks whilst the interior was also used.
11) Dunkirk (2017)
Residents of Lee-on-the-Solent were treated to the unique sight of Spitfires and Messerschmitts embroiled in dog fights while helicopters filmed all the action above Solent Airport for this intense war film by Christopher Nolan.
12) Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Hampshire played a part in one of the most popular film franchises of all time! The Avengers team visited Hawley Woods in 2014 to shoot scenes for the hotly-anticipated addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
13) Inception (2010)
During the film, there is a scene where Saito’s helicopter touches down at a certain sleek, modern airfield. This airport is in fact Farnborough Airport, home of the world famous international air show, right here in Hampshire.
14) Quantum of Solace (2008)
Daniel Craig, in his second stint as Bond, flies from an airport in Austria. Or does he? No, it is in fact Farnborough airport again!
15) Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Bond again! Pierce Brosnan shot scenes in Portsmouth whilst trying to prevent war between the UK and China. HMS Dryad and HMS Westminster were the stars this time.
16) The Da Vinci Code (2006)
During the flashback scenes in the Ron Howard directed film, Knights are pictured meeting with the Pope in the Vatican. The backdrop for this scene was actually Winchester Cathedral. On a slight side note, Winchester Cathedral is also the burial site of author Jane Austen who had some of her books such as ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’ portrayed in cinema.
17) Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
In this prequel looking at Han Solo’s earlier criminal career the unusual architecture of the disused Fawley Power Station doubled for Corellia, an industrial planet where the film begins.
18) Children of Men (2006)
There aren’t too many parts of Hampshire that you would think would be appropriate to depict an England devastated by pollution and infertility yet there were still numerous county sites chosen for this flick starring Clive Owen. These include Aldershot Barracks, Alice Holt Forest, Alresford Station, Church Crookham and also the Watercress Line.
19) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
Classic literature meets a modern cultural phenomenon in this action-comedy-horror starring Lily James and Sam Riley. The grounds of Basing House - a 16th century Tudor castle - were ideal for a classic horror set-up where our stars find themselves in a graveyard at night.
20) Sahara (2005)
As this Matthew McConaughey is mainly set in the desert it was mostly filmed in Morocco. There likely aren’t many more contrasting settings than Hawley Lake where additional scenes for the movie were produced.
21) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
We end our list with a cinema icon that was partly filmed on the Longmoor Military Railway. In this scene the group sing the classic song from the film and drive Chitty alongside a train, waving to the driver in the process.
___________
