Robert Eggers’ Viking epic The Northman may be set in Iceland, but the filming locations feature scenery from around the world.
Rather interestingly, many of the locations were actually filmed in Ireland…
“In the acclaimed horror director’s follow-up to The Witch (2015) and The Lighthouse (2019), the positively-reviewed The Northman launches Eggers into a much larger scope of storytelling with a much more substantial studio budget. As such, the set pieces, locations, and atmosphere feel aptly larger in scale, making The Northman director Robert Eggers’ most visually immersive project yet.”
The Northman is an action-packed Icelandic drama based on the legend of Amleth, an ancient Scandanavian figure who directly inspired the story of Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. Starring big names like Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, and Anya Taylor-Joy, The Northman follows Amleth (Skarsgård) in a series of violent, rageful ventures as he is reminded of the vow he made as a child – to save his mother (Kidman), avenge his father (Hawke), and kill his uncle (Claes Bang). Amleth’s bloody quest sees him traverse Scandanavian villages and regions, with the Icelandic landscapes and geography serving as an important part of The Northman’s Viking revenge tale.
As to natural scenery that are very much a characteristic of this epic, as Screen Rant states : “ In Northern Ireland, The Northman spent a significant amount of time filming at the Clandeboyne Estate located in Bangor. This 2,000-acre estate is notable in The Northman for being the setting of the Slavic village that Amleth and his fellow Vikings raid. While the Clandeboyne Estate is better known in real life for hosting weddings, it’s also featured in a memorable scene of The Northman as the filming location where the Vikings drunkenly dance naked in the woods. “
Certainly, as confirmed by The Teal Mango – many of the films locations are spectacular destinations
“One of the only filming locations of The Northman in Iceland is the Svínafellsjökull, an outer glacier of the Vatnajökul ice cap. Whenever the Viking characters are shown on vast glaciers in The Northman, the actors are actually filming on the real Icelandic Natural Reserve. Before Robert Eggers’ movie, the glacier was a notable filming location for projects like Game of Thrones, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, and even Nolan’s Batman Begins. “
From Trip Advisor and UNESCO : “ Added to the UNESCO list in 2019, Vatnajökull National Park covers more than three million acres, which is around 13 per cent of Iceland’s landmass. Located in the east of the country, it features 10 volcanoes, most of which are sub-glacial exemplifying Iceland’s iconic moniker, “land of fire and ice”.
High plains, lava beds, sand flats, rivers, ravines and waterfalls – including Dettifoss, the most powerful in Europe – make up this vast wilderness area that is geologically unique. ‘
“ The final showdown between Amleth and Fjolnir at the end of The Northman takes place in front of an active Icelandic volcano called the Gates of Hell, which is actually filmed at Hightown Quarry in Northern Ireland. While Hekla Volcano in Iceland is where the duel is supposed to be set, The Northman’s production team decided to film the fight scene in Ireland instead. According to Belfast Telegraph, The Northman’s crew brought 15 tons of black sand with them to create the illusion of the volcano, while leaving various channels to allow the visual effects team to create lava in post-production. “
