10 Global Films Shot In South Africa
When it comes to finding a budget-friendly location that can impersonate almost anywhere in the world, South Africa has made itself every filmmaker’s go-to spot. We’ve seen social media abuzz when celebrities hit our shores, but not so much when our country is used as a backdrop for major blockbuster movies.
Fortunately, we have the perfect list to brag about our country’s beauty and the fact that we’ve become home to some of Hollywood’s elite – albeit for a short time.
- Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015
The Avengers sequel had the stars make their way to our beautiful country where they took on their superhero roles and saved the day, bet you didn’t know that?
- Tiger House, 2015
In this thriller, Wynberg in Cape Town was used to replicate parts of Surrey in England.
- The Giver, 2014
Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, and Jeff Bridges graced Cape Town with their presence as they filmed the sci-fi film about the world’s inconvenient past.
- Blended, 2014
Sun City becomes the backdrop for this Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler comedy. If the famous resort didn’t have you believe that they were in South Africa, the cringy attempts at our accent may give it away.
- Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 2013
A story about South Africa’s first democratic president would have no matter location than the country where it all took place. It even won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song -Motion Picture.
- Safe House, 2012
That’s right ladies, Ryan Reynolds was in South Africa and you didn’t even know about it. While this film is said to take place in Rio de Janeiro, it was shot in Johannesburg and Cape Town as a result of the riots.
- Invictus, 2010
Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon came to our beautiful country to film the story of the 1995 Rugby World Cup in a post-apartheid world.
- District 9, 2009
That’s right, the Prawns were filmed right here – which seems only fitting as the film is supposed to take place in South Africa. It’s inspired by the events that took place during apartheid and went on to receive multiple awards. The movie is as exciting as AFL betting, and remains a smash hit to this day.
- Doomsday, 2008
This sci-fi film is based in futuristic Scotland, but most of the scenes were shot in Cape Town at Ratanga Junction as a result of the rock formations that were said to resemble those in
Scotland.
- The Deal, 2008
It’s a story about a film producer who decides to set up his latest production in South Africa, but his lead actor is kidnapped by terrorists. It’s easy to see why our country was chosen as the location, don’t you think?
Hollywood’s Second Home
Well, almost. This list is by no means extensive and we could go on for days about the various productions that took place in South Africa. We hope that this list shows you just how much our country features on the Hollywood scene, whether we know it or not.