London Second Most Filmed City In The World, According To New Study

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New Study Reveals The Most Popular Filming Destinations Around The World

  • Los Angeles tops the list for the most popular filming location, followed by London and New York City
  • The United States and the United Kingdom are leading the way with filmmaking as they take the top two spots respectively for the most popular filming locations around the world
  • Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire are the most popular counties outside of London for movie making in England
  • ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Stand By Me’ among the most searched for movie locations around the world

To reveal the most popular filming locations around the world, luxury travel company Kuoni analysed the destinations for 3,483 films to reveal the world’s most popular filming spots. From the iconic cities used as backdrops in some of the most famous movie franchises, to the natural beauty spots taking over our screens, the results reveal the countries home to the most movie filming locations.

As expected, American cities dominate the top ten filming locations, with seven of the top ten destinations located in the United States alone. Los Angeles tops the list overall with an impressive 543 films having been filmed in the city, including famous films such as ‘Back to the Future’ and the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise.

However, whilst LA may be home to the most features, London is not too far behind with a total of 529 movies being filmed in the English capital. This includes famous quintessentially British films such as ‘James Bond’ and ‘Harry Potter’, both blockbuster-worthy franchises loved the world over.

Top Ten Cities For Movie Filming Locations

RankCityTotal
1Los Angeles, USA543
2London, UK529
3New York City, USA319
4Paris, France99
5San Francisco, USA59
6Chicago, USA51
7Toronto, Canada47
8Boston, USA24
9Philadelphia, USA23
10Pittsburgh, USA22

With America being home to so many incredible production companies, it makes sense that they would top the list for having the highest number of movies filmed. The country has such a rich history with film making, from huge Hollywood blockbusters that have taken the world by storm to the smaller indie films with interesting stories to tell, they have made them all.

Three European countries feature in the top five, with the UK, France and Italy ranking second, third and fourth respectively. Canada rounds off the top five, with cities such as Toronto providing backdrop to films such as ‘Once Upon a Time in America’, whilst Canada’s sweeping mountains feature in ‘The Revenant’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’.

Top Ten Worldwide Countries For Movie Filming Locations

RankCountryTotal
1USA1,523
2UK778
3France170
4Italy127
5Canada105
6Spain61
7Germany57
8Mexico55
9Australia34
10Morocco31

England has established itself as a key player in movie-making in recent decades, giving birth to industry leading filming studios and a range of backdrops, from hustling cities to tropical-looking shorelines along the south coast. In more recent years it’s been home to some incredibly popular blockbuster movies, including ‘Captain America’, a part of the Marvel franchise. Hertfordshire has enjoyed the most film sets in the UK, with two successful film studios and a wide range of heritage sites set in the stunning countryside, it’s easy to see why this county tops the list outside of London. Buckinghamshire follows closely behind, with films such as ‘The Duchess’ and ‘X-Men: First Class’ being filmed there, taking advantage of the county’s sweeping hills and golden meadows.

Top Ten UK Counties For Movie Filming Locations

RankCountyTotal
1Greater London529
2Hertfordshire104
3Buckinghamshire101
4Surrey64
5Berkshire62
6Oxfordshire61
7Kent39
8Wiltshire35
9East Sussex32
10Hampshire26

Films including ‘Spiderman’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs’ are among the staggering 787 movies filmed in California, the US’ most popular filming destination. Home to Hollywood, the city is renowned as the heart of the nation’s film industry. Outside of the west coast state, it’s the fashion capital New York coming in second with an impressive 319 movies being filmed in the city. Washington DC also makes the top ten filming locations within the United States, with many directors eager to include shots of the iconic White House in their backdrops as they dramatise the capital city.

 Top Ten US States For Movie Filming Locations

RankStateTotal
1California787
2New York City319
3New Jersey75
4New York state71
5Arizona68
6Florida61
7Texas60
8Illinois59
9Washington DC58
10Nevada56

To see which movie locations people were the most curious about, Kuoni analysed Google search data to unveil which film backdrops were piquing the most interest. Analysing searches for “where was [movie] filmed”, Kuoni revealed that ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Stand By Me’ are the filming destinations most people are curious about. Based in the UK, Tim Burton’s movie ‘Dark Shadows’ also made the top ten as one of the most searched for movie locations, with the quirky film gaining a lot of interest from people hoping to find out where it was based. Coming in at 10th place was ‘Mamma Mia!’, with people searching for the filming location perhaps in the hopes of inspiring their upcoming travels.

The Ten Most Searched For Movie Locations Around The World

RankMovie DestinationMovieGoogle searches
1USACasablanca60,500
2USAStand By Me60,500
3USACarol40,500
4USASweet Home Alabama40,500
5MexicoPredator33,100
6MexicoTroy33,100
7UKDark Shadows33,100
8USAJumanji33,100
9USAThe Notebook33,100
10GreeceMamma Mia!27,100

The full research can be found online here: https://www.kuoni.co.uk/world-most-popular-filming-destinations


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