The Ultimate Guide to Movies Filmed in Iceland

Only a handful of titles below are explicitly set in Iceland, such as Die Another Day and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. 

More often, Iceland’s landscape gets top billing as a primordial Earth, a post-apocalyptic world, or a distant planet. This diversity explains its prominence in sci-fi and fantasy, from Star Wars to Game of Thrones. 

Below is a reverse chronological list of series and movies filmed in Iceland, with locations and ideas for visiting the sites yourself.

Recent years have seen Iceland return to the spotlight, with major series and films using its landscapes for pivotal scenes. These productions highlight how the country continues to attract large-scale international filming.

The highly anticipated final season of Stranger Things ended with a scene filmed in our very own Iceland. In an interview after the finale, the Duffer Brothers confirmed the Icelandic shoot, sharing that the scene’s rainbow was, in fact, real. 

If you’re hoping to visit this site from episode 8, join our 3-day Highlands tour or find out more about the location in the full guide to the Háifoss waterfall in southern Iceland.

The gripping Katla series follows the people of Vik, a small village near the Katla volcano, after an unsettling, ice-melting eruption forces residents to evacuate. The few who remain are left grappling with the aftermath.

Vik has a population of around 300 people, with no towns for roughly 50 km (31 mi) in either direction. The settlement dates to the ninth century, but it wasn’t until 1890 that traders established roots in the region. The town sits beneath the real Katla volcano, with the Víkurkirkja Church serving as the local assembly point for inclement weather.  

Beyond filming in Iceland’s southernmost town, Katla was also edited at RVK Studios production facilities on the outskirts of the capital, Reykjavík. Enjoy the ultimate volcano experience with our Katla Ice Cave Tour.

Netflix’s comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga pushes Iceland to center stage, following aspiring singers Lars and Sigrit (Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) as they pursue their campy Eurovision dreams.

The duo’s story begins in Húsavík—a fishing village famous for its whale watching and geothermal bathing—with film shots including Húsavík Harbor and the marine-rich Skjálfandi Bay. Fans who visit the town of around 2,000 people can also check out the Húsavík Eurovision Exhibition to immerse themselves in the competition. 

Don’t forget to look out for the elves, or “hidden people” (huldufólk) of Icelandic folklore, who Sigrit asked for help with a big win!

The Hallmark Channel’s Love on Iceland follows podcast producer Chloe as she travels to the Land of Fire and Ice with a group of friends to recharge. But what happens when she ends up reconnecting with an old flame?

Set to match their love story, Iceland’s head-turning beauty acts as a supporting character. Filming spots include the Svínafellsjökull glacier, the Secret Lagoon, Seljalandsfoss waterfall, lively downtown Reykjavik, and the unique Bubble Hotel.

During the late 2010s, Iceland became a go-to filming location for big-budget Hollywood productions. Glaciers, black sand beaches, and volcanic terrain regularly doubled as distant planets or extreme environments.

While Frozen II wasn’t filmed in the country, its creators drew heavy inspiration from the island’s stark beauty. Even before the movie was released, the trailer provided clear clues and Icelandic identifiers—black sand beaches and mythical folklore. 

In one scene, Elsa battles a Nokk, or Nykur in Icelandic: a water spirit that takes the shape of a horse. Recurring Northern Lights imagery dances around the screen as a troll named Grand Pabbie conjures the swirls into existence. If the cold wouldn’t bother you anyway, visit attractions similar to those highlighted, like Djúpalónssandur Beach and Seljalandsfoss waterfall.

Released in 2017, the eighth film in the Fast and the Furious franchise brought its adventurous plot to our Nordic country. Starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Michelle Rodriguez, The Fate of the Furious features a major chase scene on a wintery Lake Mývatn. 

While you won’t be gliding along the ice at high-speed, Arctic Adventures offers a guided tour of North Iceland, where you can visit the idyllic lake, Godafoss waterfall, and Askja crater in one day.

This superhero movie features a brief but significant cameo from our beautiful country. Shot in the Strandir region of Northern Iceland’s Westfjords, these scenes use remote, dramatic coastal landscapes as a backdrop for Bruce Wayne’s attempt to recruit Aquaman. 

As a fellow volcanic islander, Hawaiian Jason Mamoa (our Aquaman in question) stirred a Justice League-level controversy by taking an unauthorized dip in one of the local geothermal pools. Icelanders were quick to forgive Momoa’s shirtless antics, appreciating the publicity brought to the area. You can trace your own superhero steps on Arctic Adventures’ 6-Day Hornstrandir Hike tour.

Set in a galaxy far, far away, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story uses Iceland to represent otherworldly, alien planets. Picture this: a band of unlikely heroes attempts to steal the plans to the Death Star, traversing celestial bodies like Lah’mu and Eadu. 

A quick glance at the trailer reveals numerous Icelandic landscapes, with filming around Reynisfjara Beach and the mountains of Hjörleifshöfði and Hafursey at Mýrdalssandur. Star Wars fans can easily visit many of the movie’s filming sites by booking a South Coast tour.

In Captain America: Civil War, Iceland appears in the opening shot, filmed near the southern village of Vik. Snow-capped mountains and icy breaths aside, the Avengers are thrown into crisis when an argument escalates into a civil war.

It’s a strong entrance into a spell-binding film, but you can make your own magic by building a South Coast self-driving tour.

Yes, another Star Wars film! Our story begins thirty years after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Both original and new cast members joined forces to make this memorable saga. While shrouded in secrecy fitting for the franchise, we know filming took place across numerous Icelandic settings.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens features Lake Mývatn and Krafla, a volcanic caldera with a daunting peak, boiling mud pools, and rising steam. If it sounds like fodder for filming an intense battle between the Empire and Rebels, you’d be right.

The early 2010s marked a turning point, when Iceland firmly established itself as a premium filming destination. Many of today’s most recognizable movie locations in Iceland come from this period.

An Icelandic-Norwegian horror comedy? The perfect movie genre! Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead is the sequel to 2009’s Dead Snow. Released in 2014, the story resumes by following the sole survivor of a Nazi zombie attack as he attempts to defeat the undead.

While this over-the-top movie shot in both Norwegian and English, filming took place in Iceland. The contrast of icy glaciers and lush green valleys were crucial for zombie uprising and battle scenes; some moments filmed in the Reykjavik area. Either way, we’re ready with the popcorn.

A biblical flood blockbuster isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you consider movies filmed in Iceland. But 2014’s Noah had the right idea using Iceland’s rugged landscapes as a stand-in for an Old Testament world.

On release, one critic blasted the film as an unholy mess, but you can decide for yourself. One thing we know: the Dyrhólaey cliff, Fossvogur district, and Reynisfjara provide fantastical backdrops. Focus on their beauty and the mood they convey, and even an unholy mess becomes better. 

If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming road-trip comedy, Land Ho! tells the story of two ex-brothers-in-law reclaiming their youth on a trip to Iceland. Bonus: the film works as a travel itinerary.

Cast and crew spent 16 days filming in Iceland, visiting some of the country’s top tourist attractions and sites. Look out for the Blue Lagoon, Skógar village, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Landmannalaugar’s rhyolite mountains, Gullfoss waterfall, and Strokkur geyser.

Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine star in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic, Interstellar. Set in a dystopian future, Earth has been ravaged by blight and dust storms, threatening humanity’s very existence. It’s up to these characters to find a new home for earthly citizens.

Máfabót lowland area and Svínafellsjökull glacier were used to represent two planets in Interstellar. A stone’s throw from one another in Southeastern Iceland, Máfabót had duty as a water planet, while Svínafellsjökull served as the ice planet. Two dramatically different backdrops in proximity to each other: that’s what Iceland is all about.

No discussion of Iceland’s history would be complete without ancient Norse mythology—and that’s where the god Thor comes in. Thor: The Dark World came on the heels of the first film in the franchise, a real sleeper hit. The sequel brought the thunder god back to his roots, shot around Reykjavik and the visually stunning Skógafoss Waterfall.

One particular sequence leans hard into Iceland’s natural beauty: volcanic ash and smoke shows abound. If you’d like to follow in the footsteps of this thunder god, take Arctic Adventures’ 2-Day Skógarfoss to Thorsmork Valley Trekking Tour. To learn more about what you’ll see on the Valley of Thor Tour, read our Guide to Trekking in Thorsmork.

Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is one of those rare films that celebrate Iceland, from the scenery to the whimsical soundtrack. Similar to Land Ho!, Walter Mitty touches numerous Icelandic attractions as the main character jumps through daydreams.

Keep an eye out for the town of Seyðisfjörður in the Eastfjords, the Reykjanes peninsula, Stykkishólmur municipality as Nuuk, Greenland, and Vatnajökull National Park as remote Afghanistan. Each corner of the island is represented, and that’s part of what makes this quirky movie so special.

There’s room for another star-led journey. As the twelfth installment in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Into Darkness follows the USS Enterprise crew as they return to Earth after a terrorist attack. Determined to capture the perpetrator and settle an old score, Captain Kirk leads his team on a dangerous mission to apprehend a one-man weapon of mass destruction.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Reynisfjara Beach was used in the movie. The area’s otherworldly appearance and volcanic black sand made it an ideal stand-in for planets light-years away. Simple but effective.

Another post-apocalyptic sci-fi film with major star power, Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman lead Oblivion in Earth’s demise at the hands of aliens. Set in 2077, ongoing wars have led humans to abandon Earth and move to one of Saturn’s moons, Titan.

Cast and crew spent 10 days filming in Iceland, where the country’s rugged terrain substituted for America’s East Coast. Taking advantage of the midnight sun for eerie “golden light” scenes or filming steep drops at Jarlhettur mountain, Oblivion shines.

Ridley Scott’s Prometheus uses Iceland to depict an ancient Earth. In the film’s visually impressive opening, we’re taken back in time to the seeding of life on our planet. 

A beautiful waterfall sets the scene as a mysterious figure propels the film into motion. And what better waterfall to choose than the mighty Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall? Raw, misty power in northern Iceland? Sign us up.

Released in 2011, Nova Zembla is a Dutch historical drama that used Iceland to mimic Arctic conditions. Two explorers set off on a quest to discover the Northeast Passage to the Indies, traveling through icy seas before being stranded on Novaya Zemlya, an Arctic Archipelago.

Interestingly, the production team filmed on a remote glacier and reportedly had to spend a week opening the roads before the 14-day shoot could begin. With shifting conditions, the crew gained firsthand experience of Iceland’s weather and terrain.

Being relatively untouched, Iceland sets the tone for a “young Earth” in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. Using the lava fields around Krafla, this philosophical drama shows the creation of our planet, as well as its evolution—right up to the dinosaurs.

While you won’t find dinosaur fossils in young Iceland, there’s plenty to do on Arctic Adventures’ North Iceland Volcano Tour, which traces the region near Krafla.

Before Iceland became widely known for blockbuster filming, several adventure, fantasy, and war films had already discovered its cinematic potential. These productions helped pave the way for later Hollywood interest.

Based on the science fiction novel of the same name, Journey to the Center of the Earth tells the tale of a man determined to uncover what happened to his missing brother. This leads him, along with his nephew and a mountain guide, to discover a lost world.

You guessed it: it’s deep beneath the Earth’s crust and accessible via Snæfellsjökull Peninsula. Immortalized in both the novel and the film, the peninsula has inspired visits from fans and tourists alike.

A magical fantasy with a hint of romance, Stardust is a guilty-pleasure, feel-good film. Sticking with the theme, its creators shot some scenes in Iceland, most notably at the Stokksnes peninsula in southeastern Iceland. Open coastline and sharp mountain shapes give the scenes a storybook feel.

Although a magical stone wall keeps worlds apart in the movie, you can travel to the peninsula to make your own magic. 

It’s not often a sequel surpasses its predecessor, but Hostel Part II manages to achieve exactly this. Directed by Eli Roth, the plot follows three female American students living in Rome as they travel to Slovakia. It’s only after they’ve checked into their hostel that they realize they’ve inadvertently checked into a house of horrors.

The majority of Hostel Part II was shot in Prague, but one scene was filmed in a recognizable geothermal spa: the Blue Lagoon.  The scene shows a student going for a relaxing swim before being chased by a group of men into a forest. Creepy!

Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima tells the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese. Many scenes depict the caves and tunnels central to the story. Any guesses on what Icelandic attraction was used in the film? 

If you guessed Sandvik beach on the Reykjanes peninsula due to its dark-hued black volcanic sand, you’re right. Watch clips from the movie, and you’ll see the beach hitting its mark as the Pacific Islands.

Surprise! Letters from Iwo Jima had a sister film named Flags of Our Fathers. Based on the iconic flag-raising photograph and the book that followed, Clint Eastwood again used Iceland’s Sandvik beach to shoot many of the battle scenes.

Rather than highlighting the Japanese perspective, this film recounts the story of the six servicemen who raised the American flag after the island’s capture.

Maybe you’ve never heard of the revenge story of Beowulf & Grendel, set in 6th-century Denmark. After the death of his father at the hands of a Danish king, Grendel plots his revenge.

Released in 2005 via a Canadian and Icelandic co-production, the movie was filmed throughout Iceland. Because the scenes were filmed in severe weather conditions difficult to recreate with special effects, the actors gave genuine reactions and responses. It’s worth watching to imagine your own reaction alone!

Batman Begins is Christopher Nolan’s epic reimagining of the origins of The Dark Knight. In the film, we see the Caped Crusader’s journey in Tibet and subsequent training with the League of Shadows. One of the most famous moments is a training scene where Christian Bale and Liam Neeson engage in a sword fight. 

Meant to simulate Tibet’s cold and mountainous landscape, this scene was shot on the Svinafellsjokull Glacier in Vatnajokull National Park. The cast later revealed that while filming, they could hear ice cracking beneath their feet. Not for the faint of heart! 

Released in 2002, True Love (Once Removed) tells the story of Steven, a fisherman living in an isolated village. Earning very little, Steven spends his meager earnings viewing his future via illegal time machines.

He learned he’s destined to fall in love with an adult who, in the present day, is a child. Complicated ethics aside, he has to make clear choices to secure his future. Primary filming took place across Iceland, helping create the movie’s wild atmosphere and confounding premise.

In Die Another Day, Iceland doesn’t just appear in the Bond film: it’s part of the storyline. Pierce Brosnan’s high-speed car chase scene had an interesting modification. Only made possible by temporarily damming Jokulsárlón Lagoon’s outlet to the sea, the still water froze enough for the stunt team to do their work.

Once filming ended, the blockage was removed without any long-lasting damage to the local environment. If you want to experience Jökulsárlón, you don’t have to be part of a Hollywood crew. Join one of our many lagoon tours!

Although most of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was set in Serbia, director Simon West filmed a three-minute beginning sequence at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Wearing only a thin cotton top and a light hoodie, weather-hardened locals must have thought Angelina Jolie came unprepared.

Since not everyone is as tough as Lara Croft, we recommend that visitors layer up in warm clothes when visiting the Jokulsárlón region. Yes, even in milder seasons! 

Long before modern film incentives and large-scale productions, Iceland appeared on screen in a handful of notable films. These early projects laid the groundwork for Iceland’s role in global cinema.

Another film set in a dystopian future, Judge Dredd stars Sylvester Stallone as the film’s protagonist who is wrongly convicted of murder. It gets worse, as he’s banished to a penal colony while Earth reduces to a wasteland.  

Judge Dredd wisely uses Reykjanes peninsula’s lava fields and unadorned terrain to represent a future Earth’s barren environment.

Similar to Die Another Day, 1985’s A View to a Kill opens with a pre-credit sequence filmed at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. At the end of the action-packed scene, James Bond is chased by a helicopter along a reservoir. In true Bond fashion, he shoots the helicopter, which instantly bursts into flames before crashing into an iceberg. To evade capture, Bond hides in a submarine disguised as an iceberg.

The scene was considered so dangerous that the Bond leading man, Roger Moore, didn’t even set foot in Iceland; his stunt double risked it all. You won’t have to contend with large icebergs or get knocked in icy cold water on one of our multi-day tours along the South Coast.

Based on Gunnar Gunnarson’s classic novel of the same name, this silent film follows two brothers as they fight for the love of a beautiful woman. Directed by Oskar Gislason, Sons of the Soil is considered to have kickstarted Icelandic cinema. Interestingly, it was the first major feature to be filmed in Iceland, a striking and underutilized backdrop. 

And the rest, they say, is history.

Here are some common questions you may have about Iceland’s role in films and series, from major blockbusters like Bond movies to a self-drive itinerary.

Iceland’s diverse geography, dramatic landscapes, and lighting make it a natural backdrop for films and series alike. From icy glaciers to black sand beaches to bubbling hot pots, filmmakers easily align their vision with the Land of Fire and Ice. Plus, the tax incentives alone make filming in Iceland an easy proposition.

Thanks to its otherworldly landscapes, many major motion pictures have been shot in Iceland. Some of the most well-known include Die Another Day, Interstellar, and Thor: The Dark World. Ancient or future Earth, distant planets, and frozen-over lagoons give Iceland a leg up over the competition.

Yes, the imagined ice planet was filmed at Svínafellsjökull glacier, based in Vatnajokull National Park. The epic, open landscape set the perfect tone for a dystopian movie, while also showcasing Iceland’s ability to stun.

If you’re a movie buff looking to hit all the highlights along the South Coast, a self-drive itinerary is a solid movie. Stop at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon (featured in Die Another Day, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, A View to a Kill), the Reynisfjara beach (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), and the thunder-god-worthy Skógarfoss waterfall (Thor: The Dark World). 

Explore Arctic Adventures’ tours and combine thrilling activities with some of your favorite film locations.