Film in New Zealand
New Zealand’s popularity as an international film making destination means movie buffs are spoiled for choice when it comes to real film locations to visit
So I thought in this blog I would give you an overview of just some of the stunning locations where international films have been filmed in New Zealand.
Lyall Bay – King Kong
New Zealand’s North Island based capital city of Wellington has produced some of Hollywood’s biggest movies in recent years. King Kong. “Skull Island” was located in a large-scale set built above Shelly Bay, on the Miramar peninsula and the dinosaur run scene in the movie took place at surfing beach Lyall Bay.
Oscar-winning New Zealand director Peter Jackson recreated New York in his home town of Wellington, for his 2005 remake of the film classic King Kong.
While many of the King Kong locations were created in studios, Jackson also managed to transform magnificent New Zealand landscapes into ‘Skull Island’, home of King Kong.
Filming for Skull Island took place at Lyall Bay. A second large-scale version, including the giant wall which separated Kong from the rest of the island, was built above the Massey Memorial near Shelly Bay. Skull Island was a key location in the original 1933 movie, and Jackson’s film follows the 1933 version faithfully, with a large portion of the film set on ‘The island”.
