Despite President Trump’s regular threats to impose 100% tariffs on films made outside the United States, productions big and small continue to look for the best locations to shoot overseas, and Europe remains a leading destination for major Hollywood projects. Last year, Brady Corbet’s blockbuster The Brutalist made headlines during awards season when the director openly talked about the benefits of filming in Budapest, Hungary. His partner, director Mona Fastvold, also shot the award-winning The Testament of Ang Lee in the Hungarian capital.
Hungary is not the only one benefiting. Scotland has hosted a number of Hollywood blockbusters in recent years, with Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day both filming in Scotland last year. A recent study by the BBC reported the positive impact that popular TV show The Traitors has had on Scotland, injecting a whopping £21.8 million ($28.5 million) into the local economy. A representative from Screen Scotland also emphasized that productions such as Frankenstein encourage talent development through on-site training programmes.
With cash and tax rebates becoming increasingly aggressive and staff increasingly experienced in multiple countries around the world, there are plenty of options when it comes to where to locate production.
As major industry figures prepare to attend this year’s Focus Production Conference in London on December 8th and 9th, Variety has compiled a list of international filming locations that are gaining attention.
Glasgow, Scotland hosted filming for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
PA image (via Getty Images)
gosford house, scotland
Scotland, like the rest of the UK, offers a cash rebate of up to 25% of eligible spending, but the tax relief is capped at 80% of core spending. The country has seen a boom in international film production in recent years, with three major cities – Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen – doubling the number of international filming locations for films such as The Running Man, Indiana Jones and the Dead and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Although the country has seen an increase in the number of studios in recent years to meet demand from international production companies, especially major streamers, its natural landscape and many castles remain major attractions. Gosford House, located in East Lothian, a suburb of Edinburgh, provided many of the exterior shots of Victor Frankenstein’s childhood home in del Toro’s Frankenstein. The iconic property has also appeared in many other notable productions, including Apple TV’s The Buccaneers and the hit Scottish TV series Outlander.
strathspey railway, scotland
Global sensation BBC reality show ‘The Traitors’ was filmed in Scotland, filming a major final mission showpiece on the iconic Strathspey Railway. The steam locomotive is based in Aviemore, a town in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. This town is popular for its stunning natural scenery. The railway line and its historic 19th-century platform also played a key role in the popular highland drama Monarch of the Glen, starring Julian Fellowes from Downton Abbey, and the series uses the fictional Glenbogle station, which continues to attract fans from all over the world.
Canmore, Alberta, Canada
Alberta, Canada offers tax credit rates of 22% or 30% on eligible works. The town of Canmore is known for its impressive Rocky Mountains, rugged mountains, and turquoise rivers. Located just outside of Banff National Park, this location offers similar scenic benefits without the added bureaucracy.
HBO’s hit show The Last of Us was filmed in more than 180 locations across Alberta, making it the largest production in Alberta history and one of the largest productions in Canada. In the show, Canmore was transformed into the post-apocalyptic society of Jackson, Wyoming. Cast and crew often cite the city as one of their favorite places in Canada, with its intimate, private atmosphere and stunning natural scenery a big draw.
Season 3 of “The White Lotus” was filmed on Koh Samui and Phuket in Thailand.
HBO/Max
Koh Samui, Thailand
Thailand offers cash rebates of up to 30% for foreign film productions with domestic spending of approximately $1.4 million or more. The Southeast Asian country soared in popularity earlier this year with the latest season of HBO’s hit show “White Lotus,” but it has long been a popular destination for international productions due to its diverse mix of beaches, mountains, jungles and big cities.
Although Koh Samui is the third largest island in the country, it is small enough to be circumnavigated by motorbike or car in just a few hours, making it easy to access nearby locations. The island is home to the Four Seasons, the main location for “The White Lotus.” Four Seasons is a world-class luxury resort located on a private hillside overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, with panoramic ocean views, lush coconut groves, and a secluded beachfront setting perfect for high-end productions. The popular Fisherman’s Village is also nearby. This charming coastal street is lined with old wooden shops, local markets and seaside cafes.
riga, latvia
Latvia offers a cash rebate program of 20% on local spending and 30% on wages. As long as 50% of the total budget is confirmed before the application, that amount can be combined with the rebate provided by the Riga Film Fund.
Riga has grown in popularity in recent years as it can easily double in size compared to other major European cities such as Warsaw, Berlin, London, and Zurich. Riga also has a coastline in the Kurzeme area and a large forest in Latgale, making it a versatile destination.
Latvia has recently welcomed high-profile international independent productions, including Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, The Water Years, and Sergei Loznica’s The Two Prosecutors.
The hit series “Wednesday” used important locations in Romania.
cantacuzino castle, romania
Romania’s recently improved cash rebate program provides a refund of 30% of expenditures covering eligible expenses incurred within the country. The rethinking of the program was undertaken in an effort to attract more international productions to the country, which lies at the crossroads of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, especially in light of the Ukraine war. Recently, Romania was chosen as a key filming location for the Netflix series “Wednesday”, where Cantacuzino Castle in Busteni was transformed into the Nevermore Academy. The palace is set against the backdrop of the Carpathian Mountains and its lush forests, blending the sharp edges of neo-Romanian architecture with the vast natural landscape. It is conveniently located 2 hours and 30 minutes from the capital Bucharest.
Auckland, New Zealand
The New Zealand Film Commission recently changed its rebate program to encourage an industry that generates about $2 billion a year for the country. The rebate is currently 20%, with a potential increase of 5% for international productions, but the New Zealand dollar offers excellent value for international productions, making it easy to claim and tax-free. The new program also lowers the threshold for eligible projects from $8.5 million to a minimum of $2.6 million. The city of Auckland is a popular filming location due to its geographical diversity, with many urban landscapes, forests, coastlines, black sand beaches and volcanic areas within a short drive of the city centre, but also because of its abundance of studio and post-production facilities. This year, the city hosted filming for Predator: Badlands and Netflix’s East of Eden series.
