11 films and TV shows you probably didn't know were made in Northern Ireland

Although set in England, Line of Duty has been filmed in Northern Ireland since series two (Photo: BBC)Although set in England, Line of Duty has been filmed in Northern Ireland since series two (Photo: BBC)
Although set in England, Line of Duty has been filmed in Northern Ireland since series two (Photo: BBC)

It's no secret that popular TV programme Game of Thrones is filmed at various locations in Northern Ireland, including the striking Dark Hedges in County Antrim, and Castle Ward, which stands in for Winterfell.

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While the fantasy drama might be the region's most famous entertainment export, there are plenty of other film and TV productions that shot scenes right here in Northern Ireland - here are some of the more surprising ones.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the sequel to superhero film Hellboy, which was released in 2004.

The second installment sees star Ron Perlman return as half-demon Hellboy to save the world from some rebellious mythical creatures.

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Aerial shots of Couny Antrim's famous Giant's Causeway appear near the end of the film, although the actors were reportedly added on top of the original footage in post-production, rather than visiting in person.

Line of Duty

Though set in the East Midlands of England, series two, three and four of popular police drama Line of Duty were actually filmed in Northern Ireland.

In reality, exterior shots of the police station used in series two were filmed at 4th Street Station on Ormeau Avenue in Belfast.

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Keith Lemon: The Film

Comedian Leigh Francis stars as his flamboyant alter ego Keith Lemon in this zany comedy romp.

Though set in London and Leeds, some of the filming actually took place in Belfast.

The Lost City of Z

Based on the true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett (who was sent to Bolivia and made several attempts to find a supposed ancient lost city in the Amazon), a significant portion of The Lost City of Z was shot in Northern Ireland.

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Recognisable landmarks that appear on-screen include Belfast City Hall, Methodist College Belfast, and Strangford Lough in County Down.

Christopher and His Kind

Adapted from novelist Christopher Isherwood's autobiography of the same name, this BBC TV film (starring Matt Smith) explores Isherwood's life in Berlin in the early 1930s during the rise of Nazism.

Belfast stood in for both Germany's capital and parts of England, and there were protests about the large swastika banners hung from buildings during filming.

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City of Ember

Apocalyptic sci-fi film City of Ember (about an underground city built to shelter humans from an unspecified global catastrophe) was filmed in Northern Ireland over 16 weeks.

A former paint hall in the shipyard of Harland and Wolff in Belfast's Titanic Quarter was converted into the post-apocalyptic city.

Cave Hill and Maysfield Leisure Centre (both in Belfast) were also used as filming locations.

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Dracula Untold

Starring Luke Evans and Dominic Cooper, dark fantasy action horror film Dracula Untold was filmed at various Northern Irish locations, including Roe Valley Country Park and the Black Mountain.

Mount Stewart House in Newtownards is used as Dracula's castle grounds, while McArthur Hall inside Methodist College Belfast features as the castle's interior.

Ghost Machine

This British sci-fi movie takes place primarily inside a disused prison, making the old Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast the perfect filming location.

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High-Rise

A bizarre dystopian drama directed by Ben Wheatley, High-Rise stars many big names, including Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller and Elisabeth Moss.

The movie was mainly filmed in the seaside resort town of Bangor in County Down, using the interior of the brutalist Bangor Leisure Centre and some CGI to achieve the desired visuals.

Robot Overlords

Powerful robots have taken over Earth, in this independent sci-fi film, starring Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson.

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Filming took place at various locations in Northern Ireland, including Carrickfergus Castle.

Your Highness

Perhaps one of the most unlikely productions to be made in Northern Ireland, all-American stoner comic fantasy Your Highness stars Danny McBridge, James Franco, Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel.

Castle Ward in Strangford, Bangor's Clandeboye Estate, and the Giant's Causeway are just a few of the familiar locations you'll be able to spot if you pay attention as you watch.