Where Was “Willow” Filmed?

Adore the movie and are now asking, “where was ‘Willow’ filmed?” If so, we have you covered. And whether you’re a filmmaker or a fan, we share a “Willow”-inspired filming location from Peerspace that you can use! Peerspace is the number one digital marketplace for renting filming locations, event spaces, and production studios by the hour.

So let’s go ahead and travel to a world of magic and mysticism. We’ll see how filmmakers transformed some amazing real-life locations into the land of Mother World!

What is “Willow”?

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The 1988 dark-fantasy film “Willow” wasn’t a huge success at the box office. Yet over the years, it has found a large, adoring audience. So much so that Disney+ has a new revival series coming out in late 2022.

The story follows the character Willow Ufgood, played by Warwick Davis. He is a young sorcerer in training, tasked with protecting an infant princess who is prophesied to bring an end to the reign of the evil Queen Bavmorda. Ron Howard directed the movie while George Lucas was the executive producer. Luca even came up with the idea while working on “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.”

The journey takes Willow and the friends he meets along the way through a variety of exotic and otherworldly locations. All of which is sure to prompt the audience to ask: where was “Willow” filmed? We have the answers, so you can follow in the footsteps of Willow and his companions as they travel through their fantastical world.

Planning a wedding? Then “Willow” fans may be down for our woodland wedding theme tips and tricks!

North Wales “Willow” filming locations

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To start things off, we’re traveling to North Wales on our quest to answer the question “Where was ‘Willow’ filmed?”

According to Screen Rant, the production used Dinorwic Slate Quarry in Snowdonia National Park, Wales as the location for Queen Bavmorda’s castle. The crew didn’t build a complete castle, only a few exterior walls. Expert visual effect artists created the rest at Industrial Lights and Magic.

The filmmakers mainly used the quarry as the location for the epic battle scene at the end of the movie. We may see Queen Bavmorda’s castle again in the new Disney television series, as locals recently spotted the production back at Dinorwic Slate Quarry.

Many other productions have used Dinorwic Slate Quarry for the otherworldly background it provides. Visit North Wales says that the 2010’s “Clash of the Titans” and 2016’s “The Legend of Tarzan” both had scenes shot at the quarry. Apparently, if you visit today, it is now the home of the National Slate Museum and a rock-climbing center. It’s definitely a must-visit spot for any “Willow” superfans!

New Zealand “Willow” filming location

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They filmed most of Queen Bavmorda’s Nockmaar Castle scenes at the Dinorwic Slate Quarry in Wales. But if you’re looking to answer the question “Where was ‘Willow’ filmed?”, there is one more place we need to mention.

According to Atlas of Wonders, they filmed the surrounding area of Nockmaar Castle at Tongariro National Park in New Zealand. The volcanoes in the park are perfect for creating the illusion of a fantastical world.

Movie buffs who are big fans of “The Lord of the Rings” will recognize Tongariro National Park, as it was also the filming location for the volcanic Mount Doom seen in the movies. Peter Jackson also returned there while filming “The Hobbit,” using the site as the location of the entrance to the Misty Mountain.

Where did they film the village of Nelwyn?

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Another location that fans of the movie “Willow” are sure to remember is the village in the Nelwyn Valley where Willow Ufgood is from. If you have seen the movie, this fantastical village is sure to raise the question “Where was ‘Willow’ filmed?”

According to the International Movie Database, they filmed scenes in Nelwyn Valley at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, England. They transformed the stately manor and surrounding grounds into Willow’s village. You almost wouldn’t guess that there is a gorgeous stately manor on the grounds.

Brocket Hall has been used for quite a few other movies, from 2019’s Elton John biopic “Rocketman,” to the 1995 version of “Pride and Prejudice” starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

Once the group leaves the village of Nelwyn, they travel through some woods, which (according to Atlas of Wonders) is near Brocket Hall in Epping Forest. This area is now a walking trail known as “The Willow Trail”. They also mention that while filming the scenes at Nelwyn village Warwick Davis met his wife, Samantha Davis, on set.

If you’re into fantasy, then you may also want to see where they filmed “The Witcher” next!

Where did they film the waterfall in “Willow”?

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Last up on our tour of “Willow” filming locations is the scene where the company of heroes passes by a majestic waterfall. This waterfall, according to Atlas of Wonders, is one of the few locations in the movie they shot in the United States.

If you’re looking to see this waterfall for yourself, you can find it at the McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park in Shasta County, California. The waterfall itself is called Burney Falls. It appears that the only other place the filmmakers utilized for filming in the United States is George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch.

Find your own “Willow”-inspired filming location

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By now that we’ve covered the biggest and best locations from the filming of “Willow”. Next, we’re happy to share a “Willow”-inspired filming location that is perfect for any filmmaker trying to create their own fantasy world.

Peerspace has some amazing otherworldly locations, like this stone quarry on a 28-acre farm in Belvidere, Illinois. The variety of landscapes is ideal for someone trying to create a varied and vibrant world like the one in “Willow”.

Be sure to take a trip to Peerspace if you’re looking to create the next “Willow,” or for any other filming and production needs. We’re really excited to see what’s next for Willow Ufgood and friends in this new Disney series. And we expect to see some of the amazing locations that we’ve covered today revisited!

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