04/01/2025
Five most popular movies shot in New Zealand locations.
1. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The most popular movie filmed in New Zealand is The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was shot entirely in the country:
Filming locations
The trilogy was filmed in over 150 locations across both the North and South Islands.
Tourist attraction
The filming locations are a major tourist attraction in New Zealand, and many visitors make a route through them.
Hobbiton
A trip to New Zealand for Lord of the Rings fans is often incomplete without a visit to Hobbiton.
Peter Jackson
Directed by Peter Jackson, the trilogy is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel.
Story
The trilogy follows Frodo Baggins, a young hobbit, as he sets out to destroy the One Ring, which is sought after by the dark lord Sauron.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)
The Lord of the Rings was famously filmed entirely in New Zealand thanks to the nation's natural wonders creating the perfect landscapes to depict Middle-earth! The trilogy was directed by New Zealander, Peter Jackson, and all three films were shot simultaneously.
2. Kingkong
The 2005 remake of King Kong was filmed in New Zealand and other locations, including:
Shelly Bay and Lyall Bay: Used to depict Skull Island
Kāpiti Island and Cook Strait: Filmed ocean scenes aboard the steamer Venture
Seaview, Lower Hutt: Created a 1930s New York City with Broadway, Times Square, and Macy's
Auckland Civic Theatre: Used to depict the interior of the New York theater where Kong escapes
Camperdown Studios: Used for the Venture Set
Hutt Valley: Used to depict New York City
3 Mission Impossible- Fallout
New Zealand locations
Here they filmed Mission: Impossible - Fallout's heart-stopping helicopter sequences, in Queenstown and Milford Sound. They also used filmed a large mobile medical camp and a section of a Kashmiri village in The Rees Valley, about an hour-and-a-half drive from Queenstown.
4. The Hobbit Trilogy
The Hobbit trilogy was filmed entirely in New Zealand, with locations in both the North and South Islands. Some of the filming locations include:
Hobbiton
The Hobbiton Movie Set is a re-creation of the Shire's town of Hobbiton, located on a family-run farm in Waikato. The set is open for guided tours.
Turoa, Ruapehu
The rocky slopes and grassy tussock of Turoa were used to film Hidden Bay, the entrance to the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Nelson
The sunniest region of New Zealand, Nelson Tasman, was used as the backdrop for several locations in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook
Lake Pukaki was used as the location for Laketown in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Pelorus River, Marlborough
The Pelorus River was used to film the dwarves in barrels scene in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Mangaotaki Rocks
Located near Piopio, Waikato.
Many of the original filming locations are accessible to the public, and there are also newer tourist sights. Most of the sets have been removed, but Hobbiton is the only place where you can still see the original filming sets.
5. Avatar
Yes, many live-action sequences for the Avatar film series were filmed in New Zealand, including in Wellington and Auckland:
Wellington: The primary visual effects company, Weta Digital, was based in Wellington, and many motion-capture sequences were filmed there.
Kauaeranga Valley: The lush forests in this area of the Coromandel Peninsula were used as backdrops for the jungles of Pandora.
Auckland: Studio facilities in Auckland were used for filming.
The Avatar film series is an American science fiction franchise created by director James Cameron. The films are about a U.S. Marine who joins a program to explore an alien planet called Pandora. Cameron was inspired by New Zealand's Maori culture, particularly the Polynesian sounds, which influenced the place and family names on Pandora.
