5 Movies You Didn’t Know Were Filmed in New Zealand

New Zealand is a beautiful country with lots of amazing natural features, from mountains to dense green forests. What many people don’t realize is that New Zealand is a major filming location, so if you love Hollywood blockbusters, odds are you’ve seen something filmed in the country. Here are some movies that were filmed completely, or in part, using the beautiful scenery of New Zealand.

1. The Last Samurai

This 2003 movie may have been set in Japan, but many scenes were filmed in New Zealand. This is because the lush green Uruti Valley created the perfect landscape to imitate rural Japan. For example, that’s not Mount Fuji you see in the background, it’s Mount Taranaki. If you have a decent level of fitness, you can take a hike through one of Mount Taranaki’s trails to appreciate the natural beauty of the area and see the sweeping landscapes from the movie.

2. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

An epic fantasy series, the movie adaption of The Chronicles of Narnia used the vast backdrops of New Zealand to create a magical world. Fans of the movie can visit several filming locations:

• Cathedral Cove – set on the Coromandel Peninsula, this area was where the children find the ruins of a castle
• Woodhill Forest – this dense area of forest is where the children find the White Witch’s camp
• Elephant Rocks – these rocks were turned into Aslan’s Camp
• Paradise – set on South Island, this beautiful area was turned into fairytale country 

3. Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is perhaps one of the most famous movies to be shot in New Zealand. Again, the lush greenery of the country made the ideal backdrop for a fantasy series, with rainforests, quarries, walking trails and national parks all featured in this hugely popular film series. If you love the movies, consider taking one of The Lord of the Rings tours organized by Silverscreen Tours, where you can see some of the most iconic locations around the islands. Fans of the series will love immersing themselves in this fantasy world.

4. The Hobbit

Filmed mostly in the Otago region of the South Island, The Hobbit series of films was a continuance of The Lord of the Rings, so it made sense to return to New Zealand to film.  Again, if you love the movie, it’s worth taking a tour so you can see the exact filming sites of:

• The Monument of Arganoth
• Gladden Fields
• Amon Hen
• Lothlorien Forest
• The Misty Mountains

These are ideal places to take some selfies or even recreate your favorite scenes from the movies with your friends.

5. Wolverine

Comic book movie fans will no doubt recognize many of Otago’s sights from the 2009 movie X-Men: Origins. There are a few New Zealand filming locations used in Wolverine, and the country’s mountains were even used as a stand in for the Canadian Rockies. Perhaps the most recognizable sight is Stirling Falls, which was used as a backdrop when Wolverine escapes from Alkali Lake.    

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