Where was Dungeons and Dragons filmed? Explore the spectacular Iceland, Northern Ireland, and England locations that brought Faerûn to life.
If you ever wondered where Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) found all those forests, castles, cliffs, and suspiciously photogenic places to throw adventurers into danger, the answer involves Iceland, Northern Ireland, and England.
Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley directed the film from a screenplay based on Hasbro’s legendary D&D tabletop role-playing game, created in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, that has now grown into a vast fantasy universe.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, and Daisy Head.
It follows charming thief Edgin Darvis and barbarian Holga Kilgore, who escape prison and assemble an unlikely crew to rescue Edgin‘s daughter Kira and steal back a powerful relic.
Their quest takes them through the Forgotten Realms, complete with sorcerers, druids, paladins, monsters, magical traps, and one extremely round dragon, through some seriously game-worthy terrain.
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🐉 Dungeons and Dragons Filming Locations
The production filmed across Northern Ireland, Iceland, and England, combining real castles, forests, coastlines, volcanic landscapes, and studio work to create the fictional world of Faerûn.
Here are the Dungeons and Dragons filming locations you can actually visit.
🌲 Tollymore Forest Park, Northern Ireland
Tollymore Forest Park in County Down, Northern Ireland, was used to bring the mythical Neverwinter Wood to life. The forest also featured in Game of Thrones, making it a familiar spot for fans of medieval fantasy.
Its ancient, moss-covered trees, stone bridges, and rushing rivers provided the perfect, untouched high-fantasy atmosphere for several key scenes involving the Tiefling Druid, Doric, including her memorable Owlbear transformation and fight.
Foley’s Bridge, an 18th-century stone arch bridge in Tollymore Forest Park, appears in Edgin’s flashback scenes, including his initiation into the Harpers and a final happy memory with his wife and newborn daughter, Kira, before tragedy changes his life.
What was filmed here:
- Tollymore Forest Park: Doric’s Neverwinter action sequences.
- Foley Bridge: Forest bridge sequence with the adventurers.
What to see & do here:
- Shimna River: Walk beside the scenic river.
- Drinns Trail: Explore one of the park’s woodland walks.
Book a tour:
- From Dublin: Game of Thrones Winterfell Locations Trek
- Belfast: Custom Private Northern Ireland Day Tour
- Dublin: 7-Day Northern Ireland & Donegal Private Tour
🌊 Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland
The Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland gave Dungeons & Dragons some of its most dramatic scenery, with rugged cliffs, beaches, sea stacks, and ancient rock formations standing in for the wild landscapes of the Forgotten Realms.
Ballintoy Harbour doubled as the Sea of Swords coastline, appearing after the party escapes the Underdark, where Simon attempts to attune to the Helm of Disjunction and Xenk makes his famously straight-line farewell.
The dramatic, sweeping plateaus and massive vertical dolerite columns of Fair Head serve as the epic backdrop while Edgin’s party journeys across the continent. Dunseverick Castle‘s dramatic clifftop ruins were used for the coastal wilderness and traveling montages along the Sword Coast.
What was filmed here:
- Ballintoy Harbour: Coastal scenes near the Sea of Swords.
- Fair Head: Edgin’s party journeys across the continent.
- Dunseverick Castle Ruins: Wilderness & travel along the Sword Coast.
What to see & do here:
- Giant’s Causeway: Walk among the famous basalt columns.
- Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge: Cross the dramatic coastal suspension bridge.
- Causeway Coastal Route: Drive the spectacular shoreline.
- Dark Hedges: Walk through the tunnel of twisted beech trees.
- Dunluce Castle: Photograph its dramatic cliffside ruins.
Book a tour:
- Belfast: Antrim Coast, Castles & Giant’s Causeway Tour
- Northern Ireland Dunseverick Castle: Coasteering Adventure
🏰 Castle Ward, Northern Ireland
The Castle Ward Estate in County Down, Northern Ireland, serves as the setting for Dresden Dock, the lakeside trading port where the party first tracks down the strictly righteous Paladin, Xenk Yandar.
Set beside Strangford Lough in County Down, the historic estate features formal gardens, woodland, farm buildings, and a mansion whose architectural style changes depending on the side you view.
The estate’s grounds were used for the Dungeons & Dragons movie, adding another fantasy-film credit to a property already famous as Winterfell from Game of Thrones.
What was filmed here:
- Castle Ward Estate: Dresden Dock, the lakeside trading port.
- Strangford Lough: Where they meet Paladin, Xenk Yandar.
What to see & do here:
- Castle Ward House: Tour the distinctive historic mansion.
- Audley’s Castle: Explore the medieval tower beside Strangford Lough.
- Portaferry: Wander the charming harbour village.
Book a tour:
- County Down: Private Tour with Scrabo Tower & Castle Ward
- From Belfast: Strangford Lough Kings and Queens Tour
- Belfast: Strangford Lough & Ards Peninsula Private Tour
🏯 Carrickfergus & Glenarm Castles, Northern Ireland
County Antrim in Northern Ireland supplied two very different historic settings for the movie. The grand exterior and interior courtyard for Castle Never in Neverwinter were filmed at Carrickfergus Castle, a remarkably preserved 12th-century Norman stronghold.
Glenarm Castle, a stunning 17th-century estate doubled as the unnamed wealthy stronghold the crew robs in the initial flashback heist sequence when Edgin recounts their early criminal exploits to the prison council.
Glenarm Castle’s Walled Garden created in the 1820s has been carefully restored to such a high standard that it won the Historic Houses Garden of the Year in 2023.
What was filmed here:
- Carrickfergus Castle: Castle Never in Neverwinter.
- Glenarm Castle: Edgin‘s crew robs the wealthy stronghold.
What to see & do here:
- Walled Garden: Wander around the castle’s green woodland.
- Carnlough Harbour: Explore the scenic coastal harbour.
- Glenariff Forest Park: Walk through the “Queen of the Glens.”
- Cushendun Caves: Explore the atmospheric coastal caves.
Book a tour:
- Irish Walled Garden, Nature & Giants Causeway Private Tour
- Belfast: Antrim Coast, Castles & Giant’s Causeway Tour
- Game of Thrones Private Audi A6 tour with Richard the Wildling
🌲 Bourne Wood, England
Bourne Wood‘s scenic, pine-covered woodland south of Farnham in Surrey, England, is famous for its frequent use as a major filming location. It provided the setting for several nighttime forest scenes in Dungeons & Dragons.
Its dense pine trees and open woodland paths appear as the party travels through the Neverwinter region after recruiting Doric, and the group’s campfire planning scene, where they discuss breaking into the Vault of Neverwinter and realize they need the Helm of Disjunction.
Bourne Wood also appears in forest travel sequences as the adventurers make their way through the wilderness. The woodland has plenty of movie history too, having featured in Gladiator, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and other major productions.
What was filmed here:
- Bourne Wood: Nighttime campfire & travel through Neverwinter wilderness.
What to see & do here:
- Farnham: Explore the historic market town.
- Windsor Castle: Royal palace steeped in history.
- Surrey Guided Tours: Explore Surrey with a local guide.
Book a tour:
🌳 Clandeboye Estate, Northern Ireland
Clandeboye Estate in Bangor, County Down, covers more than 2,000 acres, including Northern Ireland’s largest private broadleaf woodland.
In Dungeons & Dragons, its mature forests and historic parkland were used for traveling sequences, camp setups, and wilderness transitions across the Forgotten Realms. Combined with Tollymore Forest and Bourne Wood, it helped create the film’s expansive forest landscapes.
What was filmed here:
- Clandeboye Estate: Travel through the woodlands of Faerûn.
What to see & do here:
- Bangor Marina: Stroll along the waterfront.
- Mount Stewart: Explore the celebrated gardens.
- Crawfordsburn Country Park: Explore the woodland and coast.
Book a tour:
- Belfast: Strangford Lough & Ards Peninsula Private Tour
- From Belfast: Strangford Lough Kings and Queens Tour
🏰 Alnwick Castle, England
Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England, was dressed with medieval banners, tents, horses to become the bustling city of Neverwinter in Dungeons & Dragons.
The Lion Arch can be spotted as the thieves arrive in Neverwinter, while the castle’s wider grounds provided exterior and connective shots. The Lion Bridge, crossing the River Aln, also became the misty meeting place where Red Wizard Sofina and Thayan assassin Dralas exchange secret plans.
Alnwick Castle has plenty of screen experience beyond Neverwinter, having appeared as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films, in Transformers: The Last Knight, and Downton Abbey.
What was filmed here:
- Barneyside: Neverwinter streets and bustling fantasy activity.
- Outer Bailey: Neverwinter city sequences and exterior action.
- Lion Arch: The thieves’ dramatic arrival in Neverwinter.
- Lion Bridge: Sofina and Dralas exchange secret plans.
- Southern Grounds: Character tracking shots and camp setups.
What to see & do here:
- Alnwick Garden: Explore the spectacular ornamental gardens.
- Bailiffgate Museum: Discover Alnwick’s local history.
- Hulne Park: Walk through the historic parkland.
- Northumberland National Park: Cheviot Hills and Hadrian’s Wall.
⛪ Wells Cathedral, England
The soaring Gothic halls, vaulted ceilings, and stone stairways of Wells Cathedral in Somerset, England, provided the imposing medieval interiors of Castle Never, the stronghold of Lord Neverember in Dungeons & Dragons.
Lord Neverember’s chambers were filmed here, while the cathedral also appears during Edgin’s reunion with Kira and the vault break-in, when Edgin sneaks through the fortress before being pursued by guards.
What was filmed here:
- Wells Cathedral: Medieval interiors of Castle Never.
What to see & do here:
- Wells Bishop’s Palace: Explore the medieval palace and gardens.
- Vicars’ Close: Walk along the historic medieval street.
- Mendip Hills: Breath-taking “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
- Cheddar Gorge: Britain’s most stunning natural wonders.
- Arthurian Legends: Glastonbury Tor, Abbey & Chalice Well.
Book a tour:
- From Bath: Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury, Medieval England Tour
- From London: Glastonbury and Wells Private Day Trip
🌋 Fagradalsfjall, Iceland
Fagradalsfjall in Iceland supplied some of the film’s most spectacular volcanic footage for Dungeons & Dragons. During production in 2021, the area erupted in real life, giving filmmakers the opportunity to capture aerial footage of glowing lava flowing through the Icelandic landscape.
The Fagradalsfjall footage was incorporated into sweeping sequences depicting the volcanic regions around Mount Hotenow and the Sword Coast. Edgin and Holga were filmed riding horses separately on a controlled set, with visual effects combining the actors with the real eruption footage.
Ground teams also used nearby Icelandic valleys to capture plates for the icy landscapes leading toward Icewind Dale.
What was filmed here:
- Fagradalsfjall: Real volcanic eruption footage and aerial lava shots.
- Volcanic landscapes: Sweeping Forgotten Realms travel sequences.
- Icelandic valleys: Ground footage for the journey toward Icewind Dale.
What to see & do nearby:
- Fagradalsfjall Hiking Area: Hike across volcanic terrain.
- Reykjanes Peninsula: Explore dramatic volcanic and coastal scenery.
- Gunnuhver: See steaming geothermal vents.
- Seltún Geothermal Area: Walk among colorful geothermal landscapes.
Book a tour:
- From Reykjavík: Fagradalsfjall Volcano Hike with Geologist
- From Reykjavik: Volcano Hike, Reykjanes Geopark & Sky Lagoon
- From Reykjavík: 7-Day Around Iceland Ring Road & Snæfellsnes
🎥 Titanic Studios, Belfast
Titanic Studios in Belfast provided the production’s major studio base, supporting the location work with soundstage filming. Much of the movie’s Northern Ireland production took place here.
The studio work was particularly important for sequences requiring controlled environments, elaborate sets, creatures, and action. So while the landscapes may look like another world, Belfast was doing plenty of the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
What was filmed here:
- Titanic Studios: Neverwinter interior sets & controlled sequences.
What to see & do here:
- Titanic Belfast: Explore the city’s famous shipbuilding museum.
- Titanic Quarter: Walk through Belfast’s regenerated docklands.
- Belfast City Centre: Explore the city’s historic attractions.
Book a tour:
- Belfast: The Titanic Experience with SS Nomadic Visit
- From Dublin: Giant’s Causeway & Belfast Titanic with Ticket
- Belfast: 7-Day Northern Ireland Private Voyage with Guide
🧙 Dungeons and Dragons FAQs
The fantasy world is fictional. The filming locations most definitely are not.
Where was Dungeons & Dragons invented?
The Dungeons and Dragons game was invented in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson as a tabletop RPG that blended fantasy, strategy, storytelling, and dice-based gameplay.
How to play Dungeons and Dragons for beginners?
Players create characters, explore a fantasy world, and roll dice to determine the outcome of their actions, guided by a Dungeon Master. Beginners can start with the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle, which includes rules, dice, characters, and an adventure.
What is the setting of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?
The Dungeons & Dragons movie is set primarily in the Forgotten Realms, a major D&D fantasy setting. The characters travel through locations including Neverwinter and the Underdark during their quest.
Was Dungeons and Dragons filmed at a real castle?
Yes. Real castles used for the production include Castle Ward and Carrickfergus Castle in Northern Ireland and Alnwick Castle in England, which was transformed into the fictional city of Neverwinter.
Did the cast actually play Dungeons and Dragons?
Yes. When the actors arrived in Northern Ireland, they played a lengthy D&D game together, which helped those unfamiliar with the tabletop game understand its mechanics and informed some character decisions.
Who’s in the cast of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?
- Chris Pine: Edgin Darvis
- Michelle Rodriguez: Holga Kilgore
- Justice Smith: Simon Aumar
- Sophia Lillis: Doric
- Regé-Jean Page: Xenk Yandar
- Hugh Grant: Forge Fitzwilliam
- Daisy Head: Sofina
- Chloe Coleman: Kira Darvis
What are some movies like Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?
- The Jumanji Movie Series: Comedic adventure inside a game.
- The Princess Bride (1987): Witty fantasy adventure with romance.
- Stardust (2007): Magical quest packed with eccentric characters.
- The Last Witch Hunter (2015): Supernatural warriors battle ancient evil.
- Warcraft (2016): Humans and orcs clash spectacularly.
Why does Holga love potatoes?
Holga‘s affection for potatoes is one of the film’s recurring jokes and part of her characterisation. It is also exactly the sort of oddly specific character detail that makes a D&D party feel like an actual D&D party.
Who plays Holga’s former husband?
Bradley Cooper makes a surprise cameo as Marlamin, Holga‘s former halfling husband, during the memorable Speak with Dead sequence.
How did Simon’s magic get its distinctive movements?
Justice Smith worked with a movement coach to develop Simon‘s spellcasting gestures, giving the sorcerer’s magic a more deliberate physical language.
Who is Themberchaud?
Themberchaud is the famously oversized red dragon encountered in the Underdark. The character comes directly from D&D lore and is considerably more interested in food than one might expect from a terrifying fantasy dragon.
Was the Intellect Devourer a real puppet?
Yes. The Dungeons & Dragons movie production used practical creature effects for several monsters, including the wonderfully unsettling Intellect Devourers, rather than relying entirely on digital creatures.
When did the Dungeons and Dragons movie come out?
The Dungeons & Dragons movie was released in the United States on March 31, 2023. Paramount lists its running time as 134 minutes.
Will there be a Dungeons and Dragons sequel?
A sequel script has been written, but the film does not currently have a confirmed production greenlight as Hasbro is seeking a studio partner.
What happened to the Dungeons and Dragons TV series?
The previously developed Forgotten Realms live-action project was scrapped, but Netflix is developing Ravenloft centred on the gothic-horror setting and the origins of Strahd von Zarovich.
Is Stranger Things based on Dungeons & Dragons?
Stranger Things isn’t directly based on Dungeons & Dragons, but The Duffer Brothers cited the game as an important influence on the series. Fans can keep the flames of Hellfire burning with D&D Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club Adventure Game.
📺 Where to Watch Dungeons & Dragons
Where can I watch Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves? If the locations have convinced you to revisit the adventure, here’s where to watch the movie.
From volcanic Iceland to the castles and forests of Northern Ireland, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves proves that sometimes the best fantasy worlds are hiding in very real places.
Disclaimer: This fan-created article is provided for entertainment purposes only. We don’t guarantee the accuracy of any of these facts and don’t recommend making important life decisions based on them. All referenced titles, names, and related intellectual property are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.
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