80+ Movies Filmed in New Zealand: Famous Locations, Hollywood Blockbusters & Wētā FX

When you think of movies filmed in New Zealand, what comes to mind?

For many people, the first answer will probably be The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.

And of course, that makes perfect sense. New Zealand's mountains, lakes, forests and wide-open landscapes became Middle-earth and introduced the country's extraordinary scenery to movie audiences around the world.

But once you start looking beyond Middle-earth, something surprising happens.

Japan, Kashmir, Alaska, Scotland, Montana, Colorado, ancient China, Texas, alien planets...

New Zealand has quietly transformed into all of them.

And the deeper we looked, the more often we found ourselves saying:

"Wait... that was filmed in New Zealand too?"

So we decided to investigate properly.

The result? More than 80 films filmed or produced in New Zealand from the 1980s through to 2027, including Hollywood blockbusters, New Zealand classics, Japanese connections, unexpected filming locations, and major international productions.

And there is another side to the story.

Even when a movie is filmed thousands of kilometres away, New Zealand may still be helping to create what appears on screen through Wellington-based visual effects company Wētā FX.

So this became much more than a list of filming locations.

It became a look at just how deeply New Zealand is connected to the world of movies.

Wait... That Was New Zealand? 20 Famous Movies with Surprising NZ Connections

Let's start with some of the films that surprised us most.

1. The Last Samurai — This Isn't Japan

One of the most fascinating examples for Japanese audiences is The Last Samurai (2003), starring Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Hiroyuki Sanada and Koyuki.

Although the story is set in Meiji-era Japan, significant filming took place in Taranaki on New Zealand's North Island.

The unmistakable silhouette of Mount Taranaki and the surrounding countryside helped represent Japan on screen.

For Japanese viewers, discovering that part of this Hollywood vision of historical Japan was actually created in New Zealand is particularly intriguing.

2. Mission: Impossible – Fallout — Kashmir Was Actually New Zealand

Tom Cruise returned to New Zealand for another blockbuster: Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018).

The dramatic mountain landscapes around Queenstown were used to represent Kashmir during the film's spectacular final sequence.

New Zealand's Southern Alps are so cinematic that they can convincingly become another mountainous region on the opposite side of the world.

3. Vertical Limit — Aoraki / Mount Cook Became K2

The 2000 mountain thriller Vertical Limit is set around K2 in the Karakoram.

But much of its spectacular alpine environment came from Aoraki / Mount Cook and New Zealand's Southern Alps.

For anyone who has visited the Mount Cook region, watching the movie again can become a completely different experience.

4. Alien: Covenant — Milford Sound Became Another Planet

Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant (2017) used the extraordinary landscapes of Fiordland and the Milford Sound area.

Here, New Zealand was no longer pretending to be another country.

It was transformed into another world entirely.

5. The Meg — Jason Statham Was in New Zealand Too

The giant-shark blockbuster The Meg (2018), starring Jason Statham and Li Bingbing, also has a New Zealand connection.

Production took place around Auckland and Kumeu, helping create the movie's Pacific Ocean adventure.

6. Mulan — Ancient China Through New Zealand Landscapes

Disney's live-action Mulan (2020), directed by New Zealand filmmaker Niki Caro, used locations across Auckland, Canterbury and Otago.

New Zealand's open plains, mountains and dramatic natural scenery became part of the visual world of ancient China.

7. Ghost in the Shell — Japanese Origins, Hollywood and Wellington

This one has a particularly interesting connection with Japan.

The 2017 live-action Ghost in the Shell, based on the famous Japanese franchise, starred Scarlett Johansson and Japanese actor-director Takeshi Kitano.

Part of the production took place in Wellington, adding another New Zealand connection to a story that began in Japan before becoming an international Hollywood production.

8. Emperor — Auckland Became Post-War Tokyo

The historical drama Emperor (2013), starring Tommy Lee Jones and Matthew Fox, is set in Japan immediately after World War II.

Yet parts of post-war Tokyo were recreated in Auckland.

Once again, New Zealand was standing in for Japan.

9. X — Jenna Ortega's Texas Was New Zealand

Ti West's X (2022), starring Mia Goth and Jenna Ortega, appears to take place deep in rural Texas.

In reality, filming took place around Whanganui, Ōtaki, Foxton and Wellington.

The New Zealand countryside became 1970s America surprisingly convincingly.

10. Pearl — And New Zealand Became Texas Again

The prequel Pearl (2022) continued the transformation.

This time, New Zealand represented Texas in 1918, showing just how dramatically the same country can change character from one production to another.

11. Z for Zachariah — Margot Robbie and Chris Pine on Banks Peninsula

The post-apocalyptic drama Z for Zachariah (2015), starring Margot Robbie, Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor, was filmed around Banks Peninsula and Port Levy.

The lush landscape becomes an isolated North American valley that has survived a global catastrophe.

12. The Power of the Dog — Otago Became Montana

Jane Campion's acclaimed The Power of the Dog (2021), starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, is set in 1920s Montana.

But the sweeping ranch country seen on screen was created in Otago and the Maniototo.

13. Slow West — The Mackenzie Country Became Colorado

The western Slow West (2015), starring Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee, used the Mackenzie Basin and Twizel to portray the American West.

Those huge skies and open landscapes are unmistakably cinematic.

14. 30 Days of Night — Alaska's Polar Night Created in NZ

The horror film 30 Days of Night (2007) is set in an isolated Alaskan town where the sun disappears for weeks.

The production, however, brought that frozen Alaskan nightmare to life in New Zealand.

15. The Water Horse — Lake Wakatipu Became Scotland

In The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007), the landscapes around Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown helped represent Scotland.

It is another wonderful example of a very recognisable New Zealand landscape quietly playing somewhere else.

16. The Chronicles of Narnia — Canterbury Became Narnia

Before audiences entered Middle-earth again with The Hobbit, New Zealand had already become another legendary fantasy world.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) used locations across Canterbury, Otago and other parts of New Zealand to create Narnia.

17. King Kong — Skull Island Came Through Wellington

Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005) was another enormous New Zealand production.

Wellington became a major production base for a story moving between New York and the mysterious Skull Island, with New Zealand filmmaking and visual-effects talent playing a central role.

18. The World's Fastest Indian — This Time NZ Plays Itself

Not every movie asks New Zealand to pretend to be somewhere else.

The World's Fastest Indian (2005), starring Anthony Hopkins, tells the story of New Zealander Burt Munro.

Invercargill and Southland are part of the story itself, making the film a very different kind of showcase for New Zealand.

19. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence — A Remarkable Japan–New Zealand Connection

Nagisa Ōshima's Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) brought together David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano and Tom Conti.

Its production history also connects this famous Japanese film with this part of the South Pacific, with principal location filming taking place in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and New Zealand involved in the wider production.

20. Kaede — This Time a Japanese Film Came to New Zealand

And the connection continues in the opposite direction.

The Japanese film Kaede, directed by Isao Yukisada and starring Sota Fukushi and Haruka Fukuhara, filmed in New Zealand, including the spectacular Lake Tekapo area.

This time New Zealand is not pretending to be Japan, America or a fantasy kingdom.

New Zealand itself is part of the attraction.

And Then There Is Middle-earth — The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

Of course, no article about movies filmed in New Zealand would be complete without The Lord of the Rings.

Peter Jackson's trilogy transformed landscapes across New Zealand into Middle-earth and permanently changed the country's international screen identity.

The trilogy was followed by The Hobbit films, once again using locations across the country.

For millions of people around the world, New Zealand became visually inseparable from Middle-earth.

What makes the story even more remarkable is that these productions helped demonstrate that New Zealand could offer far more than beautiful scenery.

The country could support large-scale international filmmaking, studios, specialist crews, digital effects, physical effects, post-production and complex location shoots.

That wider filmmaking ecosystem is one reason New Zealand's movie story continued long after Frodo's journey ended.

2026: Brad Pitt's Heart of the Beast Turns the South Island into Alaska

The New Zealand connection is still growing.

One of the most interesting upcoming examples is Heart of the Beast, starring Brad Pitt and directed by David Ayer.

The story follows a former Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog as they struggle to survive after becoming stranded in the Alaskan wilderness.

But that dramatic wilderness was created using the landscapes of New Zealand's South Island.

The film is scheduled for theatrical release in September 2026.

So when audiences watch Brad Pitt trying to survive in "Alaska", New Zealand viewers may find themselves looking at the scenery and thinking:

"That looks suspiciously familiar..."

And in 2027 — Japan's Legendary The Legend of Zelda Comes to New Zealand

And this may be one of the most exciting connections of all, especially for Japanese readers.

Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda is being adapted into a live-action feature film, with New Zealand serving as a major production location.

The original The Legend of Zelda was released in Japan in 1986.

From those beginnings, Zelda grew into one of Nintendo's most internationally recognised game series.

The live-action movie is directed by Wes Ball, with Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad producing.

Bo Bragason stars as Princess Zelda, while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth plays Link.

Nintendo and Arad Productions are producing the film, with Nintendo providing more than half of the financing. Sony Pictures is co-financing and handling worldwide theatrical distribution.

The movie is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release on 30 April 2027.

Think about that for a moment.

A fantasy world created by one of Japan's most famous entertainment companies is now being brought into live action using the landscapes and filmmaking infrastructure of New Zealand.

After becoming Middle-earth, Narnia, ancient China, Alaska and even alien worlds, New Zealand is now helping bring Hyrule to the big screen.

For a Japanese-owned New Zealand business like ours, that connection feels especially fun.

Why Are So Many Movies Filmed in New Zealand?

At first glance, the obvious answer is the scenery.

And yes — the scenery is extraordinary.

But after looking through decades of productions, it becomes clear that the answer is much bigger than that.

Extraordinary Landscape Variety

New Zealand offers snow-covered mountains, glaciers, alpine valleys, lakes, subtropical forests, rugged coastlines, volcanic landscapes, farmland, beaches and modern cities.

For filmmakers, that variety provides an enormous visual palette within one relatively compact country.

A Highly Experienced Film Industry

Decades of international production have helped New Zealand build experienced local crews across cinematography, production design, costumes, construction, stunts, special effects, visual effects and post-production.

The result is a country that can do much more than simply provide a beautiful mountain for a camera.

Studios and Production Infrastructure

Major production facilities in places such as Auckland and Wellington allow filmmakers to combine location shooting with controlled studio work.

That combination of spectacular natural locations and sophisticated production infrastructure is particularly valuable for large international projects.

Visual Effects and Post-Production

And then there is Wellington.

New Zealand has become internationally important not only because of what can be photographed here, but also because of what can be created here after filming.

Which brings us to another remarkable part of the story.

New Zealand Films Worth Discovering Too

Hollywood blockbusters are only one side of New Zealand's film story.

The country also has a rich filmmaking history of its own, with directors and actors who later became internationally recognised.

Films such as Goodbye Pork Pie, The Quiet Earth, The Piano, Once Were Warriors, Heavenly Creatures, Whale Rider, Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are all important parts of that story.

Peter Jackson, Jane Campion, Taika Waititi, Niki Caro and Lee Tamahori are among the New Zealand filmmakers whose work has travelled far beyond the country.

So New Zealand is not simply a place where overseas filmmakers arrive to borrow the scenery.

It has its own film culture, its own stories and its own internationally influential filmmakers.

We Did the Research! 80+ Movies Filmed or Produced in New Zealand, 1980–2027

Yes, we really did it. More than 80 films.

At first, we thought there might be around 70 worth including.

Then the list kept growing... and growing... and rather quickly passed 80.

And this still isn't every feature film ever made or produced in New Zealand.

If we included absolutely everything, this article would start looking more like a movie database!

So this list focuses on major international productions, important New Zealand films, interesting location transformations and movies with especially fascinating connections.

That's a lot of movies, isn't it?

And remember — this is still only a selection.

Movie fans may want to scan the list again and see how many make them say, "I've seen that one too!"

But remarkably, the New Zealand movie story still isn't finished.

The New Zealand Company Helping Create the World's Biggest Movies: Wētā FX

Here is where the story changes completely.

A movie does not have to be filmed in New Zealand to have a major New Zealand connection.

Based in Wellington, Wētā FX — formerly known as Weta Digital — has become one of the world's best-known visual effects companies.

Its work reaches far beyond New Zealand productions.

Think of Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, the Planet of the Apes films, Godzilla vs. Kong, Deadpool, Alita: Battle Angel and many more.

This is an important distinction.

The films in the table below were not necessarily filmed in New Zealand.

Instead, they are examples of major international films in which Wellington-based Wētā FX contributed visual-effects work.

In other words, New Zealand does not only provide the background for movies.

It also helps create worlds that do not exist at all.

New Zealand Was Never Just a Filming Location

After looking through all of these movies, the fascinating thing about New Zealand's film industry becomes much clearer.

It has at least three extraordinary strengths:

• An incredible variety of landscapes capable of representing places around the world
• Experienced crews, studios and production infrastructure capable of supporting major international films
• World-class visual effects capable of creating places and characters that do not exist in the real world

We started this article simply researching "movies filmed in New Zealand."

Somewhere along the way, it turned into an article about New Zealand's relationship with world cinema.

Next Time You Watch a Movie, Ask Yourself: "Could This Be New Zealand?"

New Zealand's connection with the world of movies turned out to be far deeper than we expected.

So the next time you are watching a film and see spectacular mountains, a mysterious lake, a wild coastline, an endless valley, a dark forest or even an unfamiliar fantasy world...

you might find yourself wondering:

"Could this be New Zealand?"

And now that we've researched all of this, there is one thing we can say:

It really might be.