The pandemic almost completely put a halt to movie production across the world – but Ireland is set to be busier than ever in the coming months, with international producers setting up base throughout the island. Here are some of the movies currently filming or in post-production in Ireland. Although some have chosen Ireland for the greenery and castles, others may surprise you with the cityscape that Ireland’s major cities provide.
We’re showcasing what’s going to be filling cinema theatres and popping up on streaming services in the months to come.
The Green Knight
Image Credit: Walt Disney Televisions
The Green Knight is an epic fantasy adventure movie by director David Lowery. It’s based around the Arthurian legends of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the film’s plot, Sir Gawain (played by Dev Patel) embarks on the adventure-filled quest to take on the Green Knight.
The Green Knight is shot in two locations in Ireland. The first in Bray, County Wicklow, where principal photography began in March 2019. The second being the magnificent Cahir Castle in County Tipperary. Cahir Castle is one of Ireland’s largest castles, sited on an island in the River Suir. It was built in 1142 and is also one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Ireland. Filming The Green Knight at Cahir Castle was a natural choice.
Cahir Castle also featured in The fantasy film Excalibur (1981), recreating the fantasy tale of King Arthur’s infamous sword. Filming at Cahir Castle for The Green Knight took place in early April 2019. The film is set to be released on 30 July 2021 (USA).
Mr Malcom’s List
Image Credit: Gage Skidmore, Flickr
Emma Holly Jones’ debut feature, Mr Malcolm’s List, has announced production to start in Ireland. Universal Pictures Content Group acquired international rights excluding France. Bleecker Street holds US rights, LevelFILM has Canadian rights.
It is being produced by Untitled Entertainment’s Laura Rister, Rebelle Media’s Laura Lewis, Blinder Films’ Katie Holly and Jones and starring Sam Heughan, lead in Outlander. The funding stems from Ingenious Group and also support from Screen Ireland.
Zawe Ashton will play “Julia,” with Theo James as “Henry”, and Ashley Park takes on the role of “Gertie”. The strong lineup of talent continues with BAFTA nominee and Executive Producer, Freida Pinto, BAFTA Rising Star nominee Ṣọpẹ́ Dirisu and leader actor from The Invisible Man, Oliver Jackson-Cohen.
Mr Malcolm’s List is based on the novel of the same name written by Suzanne Allain, who also was the scriptwriter for this production.
Image Credit: RafalZabron Wikimedia
Production has started in Ireland on Emma Holly Jones’ debut feature. Filming took place in the imposing Castletown House in Celbridge, County Kildare. This Palladian country house was built in 1722 and forms the centrepiece of a 550-acre estate.
Wolf
Wolf was the first independent film supported by Screen Ireland to shoot during the coronavirus pandemic. It received €800,000 ($941,952) in production funding from Screen Ireland in the summer of 2019.
“Screen Ireland is proud to support Wolf, not only for the creative strength and boldness of the project itself but for the ingenuity the team behind the film have shown in getting production back up and running in such challenging circumstances. Getting the film over the finish line has been an incredible achievement from the filmmakers. We can’t wait for the finished film to reach international and Irish audiences alike” – Celine Haddad stated from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.
Production was initially set to begin in April 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Principal photography ended by October 2020.
Disney
At the start of 2021, Disney released a casting call looking for dancers sourced locally in Ireland. Though the film’s title isn’t mentioned, it states that they are looking for “technically trained dancers for an upcoming musical feature film.”
One proposed film is the sequel to 2007 fantasy film Enchanted may be the movie that Disney has chosen to film in Ireland. Disenchanted is the follow-up to the original movie, which saw an animated princess named Giselle (Amy Adams) being transported to real world New York.
It is due to commence production this spring, so it’s early days yet and no information has been distributed on filming locations. Disney has confirmed it will drop on Disney+.
The Last Duel
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
With Ridley Scott in the director chair and leads, including Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, this is set to be one of the biggest movies of 2021. The period drama tells the tale of King Charles VI declaring that Knight Jean de Carrouges settled his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel to the death.
This is the second movie on the list to be shot in Co. Tipperary. Until recently, Tipperary wouldn’t have been seen to be a hotspot for international filming. However, the impeccable state of the enormous castle in Cahir, the stunning countryside and many, many old monuments, dwellings, forts and other antiquities nearby make it an excellent location for reigniting a bygone era.
If you’ve got your eyes set on Ireland for your next production, you can get in touch with us at Irish Film Services. We’re specialists in accessing the Irish Film Tax Incentive (Section 481) on behalf of our international clients.
