How lucky are we to live in the most beautiful home county of Surrey?
And we’re not the only ones that think so! Hollywood movie producers have long taken note of our stunning locations with the meandering backdrop of the famous Surrey Hills, architecture steeped in history and beautiful quaint villages.
Some of the biggest budget movies of the last few decades have been filmed here, we were shocked to find out how many!
We are now very proud to present the Top 20 Hollywood films that have been made in Surrey.
THE HOLIDAY
Where: Holmbury St. Mary, Shere & Godalming
When: 2006
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslett & Jack Black
Scenes shot: Cameron Diaz and Jude Law were among a host of stars who descended on Shere for the filming of this festive romantic comedy, The Holiday. Several shops and the 15th century pub, The White Horse, appear in the film. Another scene where Diaz is browsing in a village market when she arrives in Surrey was filmed in a candle shop in Godalming as well as Godalming High Street and Kate Winslett/Iris’ cottage was located in the picturesque village of Holmbury St Mary.
Rumour DIAZ it: Cameron Diaz offered everyone a drink in the pub that was there for filming in the Godalming pub scene.
HARRY POTTER
Where: Bracknell & Virginia Water
When: 2001-2011
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Rupert Grint
Places of interest: Privet Drive where Harry Potter lived with his parents was shot in in Picket Post Close (a cul-de-sac based in Bracknell) which is still open to tourists today, Virginia Waters was used to represent Hogwarts Lake (where Harry rode on HippoGriff in the ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ and where Hermione passed on messages to Harry and Ron in the ‘Goblet of Fire’) and Shepperton Studios was the main studio behind the $7.7bn grossing film series.
CASINO ROYALE
Where: Dunsfold Park, Cranleigh
When: 2006
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench & Eva Green
Place of Interest: Dunsfold Park, near Guildford. Which was home to the popular BBC TV Show ‘Top Gear’, and doubled as Miami International Airport in the James Bond blockbuster, Casino Royale, one of the most popular Bond movies of all time with a $616m worldwide gross at the box office.
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
Where: Ockham
When:1981
Starring: David Naughton, Griffin Dunne & Jenny Agutter
Place of Interest: The Black Swan Pub, Ockham
Synopsis: The Black Swan in Ockham doubled as the ominously named Slaughtered Lamb in this classic starring David Naughton & Jenny Agutter. The cult film went on to entertain audiences across the pond and grossed over $62million worldwide with an original budget of $6million. It also received a staggering 7.5 rating on IMDB. The Black Swan in Ockham also won ‘Best Gastropub’ at the Surrey Awards 2024 beating 75 local gastropubs.
GLADIATOR
Where: Farnham
When: 2000
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix & Oliver Reed
Place of Interest: Bourne Wood, Farnham
Synopsis: The opening battle scene of Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic, ‘Gladiator’ starring Russell Crowe and former Surrey resident Oliver Reed, was filmed in Bourne Wood, near Farnham, where the wooded countryside provided the perfect substitute for the forests of Southern Germany. This film won 12 Oscars in 2001 for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography.
BRIDGET JONES II: THE EDGE OF REASON
Where: Shere, Dorking
When: 2010
Starring: Hugh Grant, Renee Zellwegger & Colin Firth
Place of Interest: St James Church, Shere was the backdrop for the final romantic scene where the renewal of Bridget’s parents (Pamela & Colin) wedding vows took place. The second film in the Helen Fielding-penned trilogy was a box office hit with a $265m gross profit.
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
Where: East Horsley
When: 2016
Starring: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska & Helena Bonham Carter
Place of Interest: Horsley Park
Synopsis: Following on from 2010’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’, Disney’s Alice In Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass began filming at Shepperton Studios – and then spread locally with sightings at Horsley Park in East Horsley and Effingham.
THE KING’S MAN
Where: Hankley Common, Elstead
When: 2021
Starring: Colin Firth, Rhys Ifans, Samuel L Jackson & Mark Strong
Place of Interest: The woodland scenes took place on MoD land at Hankley Common, in Elstead, Godalming in Surrey.
Synopsis: In the early years of the 20th century, the Kingsman agency is formed to stand against a cabal plotting a war to wipe out millions. This is the prequal to the ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ which came out in 2014 and also ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ in 2017. All films were awarded IMDB scores of 7. and above.
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
Where: Betchworth & Albury, Dorking
When: 1994
Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie McDowell & Rowan Atkinson.
Place of Interest: The beautiful St Michael’s Church in Betchworth (for the first wedding of characters of Laura and Angus) was one of three churches used in this classic romantic comedy that propelled Hugh Grant to international fame. Another was St Peter’s and St Paul’s, the Saxon church at Albury Park, Albury, near Dorking.
Fun fact: The mansion they used in ‘Four Weddings & A Funeral’ for the wedding of Hamish & Carrie is now on sale for £1.65m
THE OMEN
Where: Guildford
When:1971
Starring: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick & David Warner
Place of Interest: Guildford Cathedral
Scenes shot: Arguably one of the most iconic horror films of all time, ‘The Omen’ features a scene at Guildford’s cathedral. Damien is travelling with his parents when he suddenly spots the passing spire of a cathedral. As the building looms into view, he is thrown into a rage, foams at the mouth and tries to bite his mother. The Cathedral’s dean, Victor Stock, heavily disapproved of the choice to allow the landmark to feature in the movie: ”It was a disaster, it should never have been done. People who were a bit thick were frightened to come into the building. If I was dean then, I never would have allowed it. After that, the damage was done…It was terribly difficult.”
LEGEND
Where: Kingston
When: 2015
Starring: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning & Paul Anderson
Place of Interest: The Old Crown Court and Cells at the former Surrey County Hall in Kingston
Synopsis: Set in the 1960’s, Legend is a true story of London’s infamous twin gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Kray and their rise in the criminal underworld. Tom Hardy played both twins in this film version; Ronnie & Reggie Kray and he lives in Richmond, Surrey.
EMMA
Where: Leith Hill, Dorking
When: 2020
Starring: Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth & Anya Taylor-Joy
Synopsis: The picnic scene location from the classic Jane Austen novel and adapted film ‘Emma’ which was produced in 2020 by Autumn Dee Wild was shot on the hills and surrounding area of Leith Hill in Dorking.
All of the musical performances in the film are real and played by the actors in character.
Fun Fact: Leith Hill is the childhood home one of England’s greatest composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and was often visited by Charles Darwin.
WONDER WOMAN
Where: Waverley Abbey & Kingswood L&G
When: 1984 & 2020
Starring: Gal Gadot, Pedro Pascal
Place of Interest: The former Legal & General HQ building, Kingswood
Synopsis: Diana (Gal Gadot), the immortal Amazon warrior, must contend with a work colleague and businessman, whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artefact that grants wishes goes missing. The set for the Black Gold Cooperative offices, run by Maxwell Lord played by Pedro Pascal were filmed at the former Legal & General HQ building, in Kingswood, Surrey. The production spent approximately 8 weeks on site. The 1984 film ‘Wonder Woman’ used the same L&G premises in Kingswood and The Waverley Abbey in Surrey.
LOVE ACTUALLY
Where: Epsom, Surrey
When: 2003
Starring: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson & Martine McCutcheon
Place of Interest: The Queen’s Stand, Epsom Racecourse
Synopsis: Everyone’s favourite scene in Love Actually – the bit where they show the arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport – was actually shot at Epsom Racecourse back in 2003. The main message and point of the Richard Curtis ‘Love Actually’ film was how love is humanity’s “Universal Love Language”.
THE GOOD LIAR
Where: Fetcham, Surrey
When: 2019
Starring: Sir Ian McKellen & Dame Helen Mirren
Place of Interest: Fetcham residential areas
The story follows con artist Roy Courtnay (McKellen) who meets widowed Betty McLeish (Mirren) online. While Roy has plans of his own, he soon finds himself in a game of cat and mouse. A number of external scenes took place on a residential street called Baddingham Drive in Fetcham, Surrey, which is located by the famous Fetcham Park House pictured.
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN
Where: Frensham Ponds, Farnham
When: 2012
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Nick Frost
Synopsis: Snow White goes through some heart ache after losing her mother. Her father King Magnus then marries and then everything goes dark from then onwards. Frensham Ponds in Farnham, Surrey was the perfect location backdrop where they had the idealistic setting for the zombie battlefield.
HOWARD’S END
Where: The Royal Holloway University, Egham
When:1992
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson & Vanessa Redgrave
Synopsis: A film that looks at relationships in how they can grow when two people are so different. The Royal Holloway College University in Egham was used as a backdrop as the Psychiatric Institute in this star-studded film, that grossed $26,352 in the box office.
GOLDEN EYE
Where: Epsom, Surrey
When: 1995
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, Sean Bean & Robbie Coltrane
Synopsis: A satellite falls into the hands of Alec Trevelyan AKA Agent 006 who is played by Sean Bean. Can 007 AKA Pierce Brosnan save the world as he faces the wrath of his 006 nemesis Sean Bean? Bond arrives at St Petersburg Airport doubled as the Epsom Racecourse location as he meets Bean AKA 006 in the penultimate scene.
JURASSIC WORLD
Where: Farnham
When: 2018
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard
Place of Interest: Bourne Wood, Farnham
Synopsis: When a volcano on Isla Nublar threatens to endanger the existence of the dinosaurs on the island, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) set out on a mission to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from extinction. Bourne Wood, in Farnham, features as the woodland location where Owen is building his cabin.
ALI G IN ‘DA HOUSE
Where: Staines
When: 2002
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Kellie Bright & Martin Freeman
Synopsis: Ali G becomes a pawn when he creates a plan to overthrow the Prime Minister but little did he know he would be the Voice of the Nation. They used a lot of roads and known locations to film such as Staines Town Centre, Staines Car Park and the local leisure centre.
Fun Fact: Sacha Baron Cohen studied at Cambridge University and interacted with real people (not actors) who were totally unaware they were participating in a gag!
