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

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

Rank	City	Total
1	Los Angeles, USA	543
2	London, UK	529
3	New York City, USA	319
4	Paris, France	99
5	San Francisco, USA	59
6	Chicago, USA	51
7	Toronto, Canada	47
8	Boston, USA	24
9	Philadelphia, USA	23
10	Pittsburgh, USA	22

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

Rank	Country	Total
1	USA	1,523
2	UK	778
3	France	170
4	Italy	127
5	Canada	105
6	Spain	61
7	Germany	57
8	Mexico	55
9	Australia	34
10	Morocco	31

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

Rank	County	Total
1	Greater London	529
2	Hertfordshire	104
3	Buckinghamshire	101
4	Surrey	64
5	Berkshire	62
6	Oxfordshire	61
7	Kent	39
8	Wiltshire	35
9	East Sussex	32
10	Hampshire	26

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

Rank	State	Total
1	California	787
2	New York City	319
3	New Jersey	75
4	New York state	71
5	Arizona	68
6	Florida	61
7	Texas	60
8	Illinois	59
9	Washington DC	58
10	Nevada	56

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

Rank	Movie Destination	Movie	Google searches
1	USA	Casablanca	60,500
2	USA	Stand By Me	60,500
3	USA	Carol	40,500
4	USA	Sweet Home Alabama	40,500
5	Mexico	Predator	33,100
6	Mexico	Troy	33,100
7	UK	Dark Shadows	33,100
8	USA	Jumanji	33,100
9	USA	The Notebook	33,100
10	Greece	Mamma Mia!	27,100

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