Famous Movies Filmed in Iceland

Iceland has experienced a big boom in tourism over the past several years, and one obvious reason for this, of course, is the country’s stunning natural landscapes. From the utter solitude of the Ring Road featuring breathtaking mountains and glaciers to the remote inlets of the Westfjords, Iceland offers backdrops that no studio can replicate. 

The number of movies filmed in Iceland has surged in recent years, with its dramatic landscapes setting the scene for blockbusters like Interstellar and fan favorites like Game of Thrones.

Movie lovers have a rare chance in Iceland to explore stunning locations where iconic scenes were shot. With the country’s compact size, most are easily reachable by rental car, promising a road trip like no other.

James Bond - Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

GPS: 64° 2'34.94"N 16°10'25.70"W

The big breakthrough for Iceland as a movie location is, undoubtedly, the shooting of James Bond at the famous glacial lake Jökulsárlón. Unforgettable scenes in the movie franchise feature fast Aston Martins and ice castles. The lagoon was used in both A View to Kill (1985) and Die Another Day (2002).

In A View to Kill, James Bond (Roger Moore) is killing a busload of Siberians, which of course requires ice, hence the choice of Jökulsárlón and its surroundings. The same goes for Die Another Day, where Pierce Brosnan has to fight evil Koreans surrounded by more ice than can fit into his Martini! Unfortunately, we don’t have an Aston Martin for you to rent, but we do have a nice fleet of 4x4 rental cars!

Angelina Jolie also filmed scenes for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) at the iconic lagoon in Iceland. Though the movie is set in Siberia during her dogsled adventures, the dramatic Icelandic landscapes, including glaciers, lakes, and even amphibious boat chases with angry Russians, brought the action to life.

Batman Begins & Interstellar - Svínafellsjökull Glacier

GPS: 64° 0'29.22"N 16°52'52.86"W

Svínafellsjökull Glacier has starred in several movies filmed in Iceland, most notably Batman Begins. In the film, a dramatic fight scene set on a frozen lake in Tibet was actually shot on this stunning Icelandic glacier, chosen by the director for its cinematic beauty.

To get there, it’s an easy drive to a parking lot just off the Ring Road; the GPS coordinates are above. It’s also close to the lagoon, so you could stop by the glacier, take some epic pics, and be on your way to the next adventure!

Svínafellsjökull has also appeared in a few other movies (and music videos). The Sci-Fi movie Interstellar (2014), starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, depicts a team of space explorers traveling through a wormhole in hopes of ensuring the survival of the human race.

Star Wars, Fast & the Furious - Lake Mývatn

GPS: 65°38'30.20"N 16°54'41.20"W

Star Wars and Fast and the Furious are two of the biggest Hollywood franchises, and both feature Iceland’s iconic Lake Mývatn. Fate of the Furious, the 8th film in the Fast and the Furious film series, shows Dom’s (Vin Diesel) life being threatened by a mysterious cyberterrorist who forces him to betray his loved ones. The filming crew came during high winter and shot it on the ice.

Anyone driving the full Ring Road will pass the lake (unless you make a detour and drive north before reaching the lake and take the northern route to Húsavík instead). The crew also went to Akranes, a town north of Reykjavík, to shoot a car chasing scene at the big cement factory they have there. (GPS: 64°19’3.10″N 22° 4’33.28″W)

Star Wars: Rogue One was also filmed in parts up here, featuring the nearby Krafla geothermal area as well.  (GPS: 65°38’43.61″N 16°48’57.48″W)

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Garður, Grundarfjörður, Fjallsárlón, Stykkishólmur, Höfn, Kálfafellsdalur, Hveradalir, Seyðisfjörður

Garður GPS: 64° 4'5.41"N 22°38'52.67"W

Grundarfjörður GPS: 64°55'34.87"N 23°15'31.24"W

Fjallsárlón GPS: 64° 0'37.45"N 16°22'46.02"W

Stykkishólmur GPS: 65° 4'37.51"N 22°43'31.86"W

Höfn GPS: 64°15'17.62"N 15°12'31.18"W

Kálfafellsdalur GPS: 64°11'48.05"N 15°56'38.45"W

Hveradalir GPS: 64.0202° N, 21.3973° W

Seyðisfjörður GPS: 65°15'35.60"N 14° 0'33.53"W

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty deserves a chapter of its own. Not only was the movie filmed in so many locations in Iceland, but one might also suspect that it added to the wave of Iceland’s tourism. Walter Mitty showcased Iceland and not a fake Siberia, Tibet, or some distant planet.  Of all the locations where the movie was shot, the only one you won’t be able to visit by yourself is Hveradalur. It's up in the Icelandic Highlands and can only be reached by air, super jeeps, or guided tours.

In the movie, Walter (Ben Stiller) embarks on a mission to save his and his colleagues’ careers by finding a photographer in a remote location. His journey becomes an extraordinary global adventure filled with breathtaking scenery. Unlike his usual comedic roles, Ben delivers a more serious performance here, while the film beautifully showcases Iceland’s stunning landscapes.

Game of Thrones - Þingvellir National Park

GPS: 64°16'43.59"N 21° 5'30.46"W

Game of Thrones has been filmed in several Icelandic locations such as Lake Mývatn, Dimmuborgir, and Þingvellir National Park. Some of the popular scenes shot here include the Wildlings’ attack on a village, the shooting of Arya and the Hound, and the fight between Brienne and the Hound. Easily accessible by car, a self-drive is one of the best ways to explore these iconic GOT locations in Iceland.

Prometheus - Dettifoss

GPS: 65°49’8.19″N 16°22’45.43″W

Ridley Scott’s Prometheus (2012) takes place in galaxies far away from Earth. The cast starring Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, and Michael Fassbender tries to find the clues to the origin of mankind. They find a structure on a distant moon containing a monolithic statue of a humanoid head and a few stone cylinders containing alien blood, discovering that they are not alone.

In the opening scene, we see an alien standing by Dettifoss where he finally falls in and is swept away by the icy glacier water. It is an easy drive from Lake Mývatn but early in the season, the road to the parking lot can be rough and even closed, so make sure you check before you embark on the drive.

Journey to the Center of the Earth - Snæfellsjökull Glacier

GPS: 64°48’14.39″N 23°44’51.34″W

“A sheet of snow gleamed on the slopes of these distant mountains… the peaks brazenly pierced the grey cloud to reappear above the shifting vapors like reefs, suspended in the sky…” – Jules Verne, Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)

Snæfellsnes peninsula has been used as a distant backdrop in several movies, but Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) takes place inside the glacier. Well, sort of. Brendan Frazier is on a quest to try to find out what happened to his missing brother, who happens to be a scientist. During the trip over the mountains, they discover the entrance to the center of the Earth, where they discover a dangerous and lost world.

In the movie, they also enter Vatnshellir cave, another easy-access location just south of the glacier. (GPS: 64°44’51.79″N 23°49’4.48″W)

Hostel 2 & The Fifth Estate - The Blue Lagoon

GPS: 63°52’52.51″N 22°27’11.60″W

It would be odd if one of the most famous spots in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon, wasn’t featured in any Hollywood production. One of the movies featuring this location is Hostel: Part II (2007), the sequel to Eli Roth’s horror hit, where a character visits a spa only to be stalked by a sinister pursuer.

The second movie filmed at the Blue Lagoon was even more popular. It’s The Fifth Estate (2013) starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange, the head of WikiLeaks. In the scene, Assange meets up with the politician Birgitta Jónsdóttir. The two of them have a meeting inside the building at the Blue Lagoon.

Flags of Our Fathers & Letters From Iwo Jima - Reykjanes Peninsula

GPS: 63°51’20.91″N 22°41’39.89″W

The timeless Western star Clint Eastwood filmed two movies that had scenes shot in Iceland. These are Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, which depict the events at Iwo Jima from both sides, the American and the Japanese.

Both movies were filmed in Reykjanes - the very region where you land when arriving in Iceland. Its dramatic surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for filming and make for a fascinating detour when visiting the Blue Lagoon. Out there, you can feel the raw power of the Atlantic Ocean. While many visitors head to the nearby lighthouse, this area remains wonderfully uncrowded compared to Iceland’s more popular spots.

Thor: The Dark World - Skógafoss Waterfall

GPS: 63°31’39.67″N 19°30’44.86″W

When driving on the south side of the Ring road, you will stop at the beautiful Skógafoss waterfall featured in the Marvel movie, Thor: The Dark World (2013).

When Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) gets cursed by a powerful entity known as the Aether, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) announces the cosmic event known as the Convergence and the genocidal Dark Elves.

A few shots were filmed way up in the Highlands, deep in its interior, places you can’t reach without the aid of professionals. But you can drive to Skógafoss in the smallest of rental cars!

As in many other films, Iceland’s dramatic landscapes create the perfect backdrop for distant planets, hostile environments, and scenes of despair and chaos - and we absolutely love it. It’ll be exciting to see how filmmakers continue to use this incredible country in the future.

Iceland’s small size makes it ideal for a self-drive tour, taking you through famous movies filmed in Iceland and the stunning locations that brought some of the most iconic films, TV shows, and music videos to life. Whether you’re a movie buff or an adventurer, visiting these sites offers a unique chance to step into your favorite scenes while soaking in breathtaking, unforgettable landscapes. Browse our cars today to find your perfect rental model!