Landscapes shaped for epic storytelling
Some landscapes already look otherworldly. For productions seeking worlds that feel ancient, remote or mythical, Norway offers remarkable natural diversity within close proximity, and without the need for extensive visual effects.
One of Norway's greatest strengths is its incredible diversity. Within the same country you can find landscapes that convincingly double for entirely different worlds – from the High Arctic of Svalbard and Finnmark to endless beaches, dramatic coastlines, dense forests and barren, moon-like terrain. That versatility gives filmmakers an exceptional creative palette.
Norway’s northern latitude brings dramatic shifts in light throughout the year. Summer offers exceptionally long shooting days, with the midnight sun above the Arctic Circle and golden light lingering late into the evening. Winter brings crisp, low-angle daylight, long blue hours and deep darkness, while rapidly changing weather: mist, rain, snow and shifting clouds can transform the dramatic landscape.
Glaciers offer locations on an extraordinary scale, with vast ice fields, sculpted formations and striking blue ice creating natural settings for fantasy, adventure and science-fiction worlds. Further north, Svalbard offers a polar wilderness that can convincingly become another world, as demonstrated in Superman (2025), which filmed scenes on the Arctic archipelago.
Norway's forests provide atmospheric settings that appear timeless, mysterious and deeply connected to Nordic folklore. Forests cover more than a third of mainland Norway, offering productions a wide range of natural environments, from ancient pine woodland and mountain birch forests to moss-covered spruce forests and lush valleys. Winding rivers, large waterfalls, secluded lakes and constantly changing weather add texture, atmosphere and cinematic depth.
Viking Heritage Filming Locations in Norway
Norway's Viking heritage remains remarkably tangible. Historic sites, reconstructed settlements and living craft traditions such as traditional shipbuilding provide productions with authentic environments that extend far beyond museum displays.
Avaldsnes, once one of Norway's most important centres of power, combines reconstructed Viking buildings, the preserved medieval St. Olav's Church, archaeological remains and coastal landscapes in a single location — allowing productions to shoot reconstructed and historic environments together.
Gudvangen Viking Valley, set deep inside the Nærøyfjord, has working craftspeople and reconstructed longhouses on site, creating an immersive, ready-to-film historical environment with convincing exteriors and interiors.
Draken Harald Hårfagre, the world's largest modern Viking ship, was built in Haugesund, Norway using construction techniques drawn from archaeological finds. The fully operational vessel appeared in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey (2026), demonstrating that historically accurate Viking ships remain available for contemporary productions, offering filmmakers the scale, movement and physical presence that only a real ship can provide.
Draken was built from a belief that Viking ships were far more advanced than most people imagine. Shipbuilding was the rocket science of the Viking era, and we wanted to test that in practice, not just talk about it in theory.
Living Craftsmanship
The craftsmanship that shaped Norway’s historic architecture has evolved across centuries. From Viking shipbuilding and the sophisticated timber construction of 12th- and 13th-century stave churches, these traditions continued through later vernacular architecture and into the Dragon Style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when buildings such as Dalen Hotel and Kviknes Hotel reinterpreted Viking and medieval forms and ornamentation.
Today, this expertise can be found in crafts such as boatbuilding, timber construction, wood carving and blacksmithing, with craftspeople applying historic knowledge not only to conservation and restoration, but also to reconstructions and contemporary architectural builds.
This continuity is also visible in Norway’s historic urban environments, from the medieval waterfront of Bryggen in Bergen to the UNESCO-listed wooden streets of Røros — complete period settings for productions seeking historic streetscapes rather than built sets.
Maihaugen open-air museum in Lillehammer offers filmmakers access to an extraordinary collection of historic buildings and interiors, with environments spanning centuries of rural life. Garmo Stave Church was originally built in the Middle Ages and later reconstructed at Maihaugen.
The museum has also played a role in recent film production. Locations at Maihaugen were used for Three Wishes for Cinderella (2021), while the cast of the period drama Growth of the Soil (2026) trained there in traditional farming techniques to prepare for their roles.
For filmmakers, places such as Maihaugen provide more than locations: they offer access to artisans who can advise on or execute historically accurate builds, props and set dressing.
Medieval Architecture: Stave Churches, Cathedrals and Royal Halls
The vast majority — 28 of 30 — surviving stave churches are in Norway. Dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, Norway's stave churches are among Europe's most distinctive medieval buildings. Built entirely from timber without nails, they feature elaborate wood carvings, steep roofs and dragon-head ornamentation.
Beyond stave churches, medieval Norway survives in stone churches, historic farmsteads, trading towns and royal halls.
Castles, fortresses and ruins
Norway's castles and fortresses range from royal residences to atmospheric ruins, allowing productions to portray medieval courts, military strongholds or abandoned settlements.
Proven on screen
Norway's landscapes and heritage have helped filmmakers bring the past, mythology and imagined futures to life on screen — with little transformation for historical dramas and period productions. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey features the Norwegian-built Viking ship Draken Harald Hårfagre, while series such as Vikings have drawn on Norway's Viking heritage and dramatic natural settings to evoke the world of the Norse sagas.
The country’s mountains, forests and fjords have long inspired myth and legend. Netflix's Troll draws directly on Norwegian landscapes and Nordic folklore, while The Golden Compass demonstrates how these same environments can become convincing settings for fantasy worlds shaped by myth, mystery and adventure.
Norway has also been a natural setting for science-fiction storytelling. The snowy plateau of Finse became the icy planet Hoth in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, while Denis Villeneuve's Dune transformed the coastline of Stadlandet and Kinn into the oceanic planet of Caladan. Productions such as Ex Machina, Tenet and Downsizing further demonstrate how Norway's landscapes and architecture can convincingly portray futuristic environments and speculative worlds.
What made Stadlandet work so well for 'Dune' wasn't that it looked like a specific place – it was that it felt like another world. The combination of dramatic coastline, powerful Atlantic weather and raw landscapes creates an atmosphere that's difficult to recreate anywhere else.
Norway offers filmmakers landscapes, architecture and living cultural heritage with remarkable cinematic range, and production-ready settings that feel both believable and extraordinary. Combined with experienced crews, specialist expertise and modern production infrastructure, these locations provide a strong foundation for productions of every scale.
Build Worlds With Real Places
For Norse sagas, medieval epics or fantasy worlds, Norway offers real locations that already feel cinematic — because the history, the landscapes and the craftsmanship never went away.
The Norwegian Film Commission assists in turning creative ambition into practical production. We connect filmmakers with experienced crews, exceptional locations, regional partners and production expertise across the country. The Norwegian Film Institute’s Norwegian Film Production Incentive offers a 25% cash rebate on qualifying local spend for eligible international productions.
Explore our Filming in Norway guide, learn more about the Film Production Incentive and other funding opportunities, or contact the Norwegian Film Commission and the regional film commissions.
FAQ
What are the best filming locations for Viking or Norse-themed productions?
Norway offers a combination of real Viking heritage, reconstructed settlements, archaeological sites, traditional craftsmanship and landscapes closely connected to Norse history. Examples are Viking settlements at Avaldsnes and Gudvangen, and a fully operational full-scale Viking ship, Draken Harald Hårfagre, which appeared in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey (2026). Norway’s fjords, coastlines, mountains and forests can provide the wider natural world around these historical environments.
Where can productions film medieval or fantasy stories without building sets from scratch?
Norway has 28 of the world's 30 surviving stave churches, fortresses and castles including Akershus and Steinvikholm, and ruins including Lyse Abbey, Selja Monastery and Hamar Cathedral — real medieval architecture that needs little transformation on camera. Living traditions in boatbuilding, timber construction, carving and blacksmithing can also provide productions with specialist craft expertise for historically or mythically inspired builds.
What filming locations look otherworldly, alien or like another planet?
Norway's glaciers, rugged coastline and islands and the Arctic wilderness of Svalbard have doubled for other worlds on screen, including scenes shot in Svalbard for Superman (2025) and the coastline of Stadlandet and Kinn used as the planet Caladan in Denis Villeneuve's Dune.
Has Norway been used for science-fiction or futuristic filming before?
Yes. Norway can offer science-fiction productions both extreme natural environments and striking contemporary architecture. The plateau of Finse became the ice planet Hoth in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Svalbard appeared in Superman (2025), and Norway's landscapes and architecture have also featured in Ex Machina, Tenet and Downsizing.
Where can productions find eerie, atmospheric forests for folklore or horror stories?
Norway's forests — covering more than a third of the mainland — range from ancient moss-covered pine woodland to mountain birch. Rivers, waterfalls, secluded lakes, mist, rain and rapidly changing weather can create settings suited to dark fantasy, Nordic folklore, supernatural stories and historical productions.
Does Norway offer a financial incentive for international film productions?
Yes. The Norwegian Film Production Incentive offers a 25% cash rebate on qualifying local spend for eligible international productions. The Norwegian Film Commission can help international productions identify locations, connect with experienced crews and regional partners, and navigate production in Norway.
Can productions film at protected or historic locations in Norway?
Locations such as protected natural and heritage sites, churches and glaciers will often require special permissions and, if filming is allowed, meticulous planning with local partners. Major productions have successfully filmed in such locations, through close collaboration with production service providers. Regional entities, including Norway’s five regional film commissions, can help assess feasibility, navigate permissions and identify the right local stakeholders.
