Hungary is a popular location for the film industry and many Hollywood blockbusters were shot here in recent years. If you pay attention, you can also spot a few Hungarian locations in these movies. Let’s see five films that were made here!
One of the most awaited movies this year is the new remake of the critically acclaimed science fiction series Dune. The film is based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, which was previously also adapted by the American director David Lynch. The new version is directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049), who created a unique atmosphere and strong dark visionary for the film. The shoot of Dune brought stars like Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and Charlotte Rampling to Budapest. The film will be released in December 2020, we can’t wait to watch it!
Marvel’s new superhero movie, the Black Widow was shot on the streets of the Hungarian capital Budapest with the two-time Oscar-nominated Scarlett Johansson. In the action-packed spy thriller, the Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her past when a dangerous conspiracy from her history arises. In the first trailer, you can spot Keleti Railway Station, the building of Bálna Budapest, Chain Bridge and the Parliament too. The film will be out this November, giving you the opportunity to see Budapest filled with superheroes.
The spy-thriller film featuring the Oscar and Golden Globe winner Jennifer Lawrence was filmed in Budapest and Dunaújváros, and also in the Festetics Mansion in Dég. Lawrence plays a former ballerina who turned to a Russian spy that got into a dangerous espionage game. From the Semmelweis University tower, the New York Café to the shots of Gellért Hill and the Hungarian State Opera House, the movie features Budapest in many scenes. Lawrence was very popular among Hungarians with her easy-going and friendly manner. She also famously visited an underground venue in Budapest during her stay where she partied together with locals.
Denis Villeneuve’s sequel of the sci-fi classic Blade Runner starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford was also filmed in Budapest. The movie that received five nominations at the Academy Awards, was shot mainly at Korda Studios in the town of Etyek. The iconic building of the Budapest Stock Exchange at Liberty Square was used as the set of a vintage casino, where one of the key scenes took place. The abandoned Soviet industrial sites such as the Inota Power Plant and Kelenföld were also important filming locations that highlighted Blade Runner 2049's dystopian atmosphere.
Directed by Ridley Scott, The Martian was another Hollywood blockbuster featuring Budapest. Matt Damon plays a lost astronaut, who struggles to survive on Mars after being left behind and tries to get back home to Earth. NASA’s Johnson Space Center was set at the futuristic building of the shopping centre Bálna Budapest on the Danube riverbank. Further scenes were shot at the Korda Studios film complex in Etyek which owns one of the largest sound stages in the world.
These movies will surely evoke some nice memories on your stay in Hungary, so get a bowl of popcorn and spot the scenes with the Hungarian locations!