Where was 'Wonka' filmed? All the unexpected filming locations

Though Wonka was only released on 8 December, it's already being hailed as the Christmas film of 2023, and we can see why. Featuring Timothée Chalamet as the eccentric chocolatier, the movie is intended as a prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and follows the origin story of Willy Wonka.

Promising everything from Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa to extravagant musical sequences against the backdrop of Roald Dahl's Victorian England, this truly is the feel-good film of winter that we needed, bringing other familiar faces such as Rowan Atkinson and Matt Lucas back to the big screen.

It feels like just yesterday that Chalamet was all over our TikTok feed as fans flocked to Bath to see him filming a few key scenes for Wonka, though the movie's long-awaited release now has us asking where was Wonka filmed?

Though much of the film was created on soundstages within Warner Bros Studios, filming also took place in a number of real-life locations. From Oxford to Bath, these are the Wonka filming locations that brought a little glitz to the UK.

Bath

Much of Wonka was filmed in Bath, with the city being transformed into a winter wonderland à la artificial snow over October 2021 when Timothée Chalamet was spotted filming in the city.

Bath locals will recognise the iconic Colonnades veiled in snow, with this featuring in the scene where Willy is seen walking beside the water on his way to Scrubbit and Bleacher.

Bath Abbey also features in the film, as well as Parade Gardens and Orange Grove making appearances.

Oxford

A lot of the filming for Wonka also took place in Oxford in and around the university's ceremonial buildings. Likewise blanketed in fake snow, filming locations within the city included the Bodleian Library's quad as well as Hertford Bridge (AKA the Bridge of Sighs).

Production designer Nathan Crowley told Time Out that he used Oxford as a ‘connective tissue’, travelling there with director Paul King in pre-production when scouting for locations.

Lyme Regis

Dorset's Lyme Regis gets screen time in Wonka at the movie's outset when Willy Wonka's cargo ship docks at the town's harbour. A popular location choice for filming, it's also been used in every version of Jane Austen's Persuasion as well as Meryl Streep's The French Lieutenant's Woman.

Filming in the location focuses on the breakwater called The Cobb which was rebuilt in the 1820s, making for a scenic entrance for Willy as he steps off a steamship from his travels around the world.

St Albans

Part of the film sees Willy and his accomplice Noodle pull together a plan that features a trip to the zoo and fairground. But rather than being set in an existing zoo, production took over St Albans' 100-acre Verulamium Park, transforming the space with snow, CGI and bright lights for good measure.

Filming also took place at Abbey Mill Lane and Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (allegedly the oldest pub in England), with the BBC reporting that the town received £41,000 as a location fee.

London

While shooting in London was mostly avoided, Brockley's Rivoli Ballroom made for the perfect setting for one of the film's show-stopping song sequences. Having featured in Marvel's The Avengers and, Tom Hardy's Legend, Killing Eve and even Elton John and Lana Del Rey videos, the warm interior makes for a suitably luxe backdrop.

St Paul’s Cathedral also features in the film as the hidden entrance to the chocolate cartel, with the film's director Paul King having previously used the location for scenes in Paddington 2.

Berkshire

Speaking to Time Out, Wonka's production designer revealed that a lot of the flashbacks that feature in the film were done in Mapledurham, Berkshire amidst the scenic canals and lush greenery.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLjApqauqp2WtKLGyKecZ5ufY8Kse8Crq6KbnJp8uLTEq5xmr5Goeri7zaSYZp6ZobqmsA%3D%3D