This Aussie icon crowned 'most filmed' landmark ahead of Oscars
While Hollywood's biggest names will appear on our screens at the Oscars in a few weeks, these global landmarks are the hidden stars of so many favourite films.
And one iconic Aussie spot tops the list of landmarks outside the UK and US that have featured the most in movie scenes, new research by filming location experts Giggster has revealed.
Read on to find out which ten spots are the most desired by filmmakers.
10. Arc de Triomphe, France
The Arc de Triomphe is one of several locations in Paris on the list, featuring in 73 films analysed.
It's unsurprising, given the city's universal sense of glamour and romance.
Some of these include Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2024), and Midnight in Paris (2011).
9. Machu Picchu, Peru
The 15th-century Inca citadel of Machu Picchu featured in 76 films, the only South American landmark in the top ten.
However, neighbouring country Argentina was the most filmed country in the world, appearing in over 112,000 movies.
Machu Picchu appears in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), The Road to El Dorado (2000), and Motorcycle Diaries (2004), among other films.
8. Acropolis, Greece
The Acropolis is the eighth-most filmed landmark - and, thousands of years before film existed, no doubt also the site of ancient tragedies and comedies.
Tying with Machu Picchu, 76 films feature the Acropolis, including New York Stories (1989), Driving Aphrodite (2009), and more.
7. Colosseum, Italy
While the recent Gladiator II film and its 2000 predecessor were not filmed at the Colosseum, it does feature in 76 other films.
These include the Bond film Spectre (2015) and Roman Holiday (1953) with Audrey Hepburn.
Italy also boasts the highest number of most-filmed landmarks.
Six of its attractions appeared in the final ranking, including, with others including The Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pompeii.
5. Mount Everest, Nepal
The second Asian landmark on this list, Mount Everest not only features in 84 films, but is often the subject of them due to its sheer wonder.
These include Everest (2015), Baraka (1992), and The Summit of the Gods (2021).
3. The Louvre, France
The second Paris landmark on this list, the Louvre's iconic glass prism and surrounding museum building features in 110 films as a sight of romance, action, and mystery.
They include The Da Vinci Code (2006), Wonder Woman (2017), and The Age of Innocence (1993).
2. Eiffel Tower, France
The Eiffel Tower is one of the world's most iconic and picturesque landmarks, a universal symbol of love.
In a massive jump from the third rank, 158 films feature the legendary Paris landmark.
They include Bond film A View to a Kill (1985), Midnight in Paris (2011), and Amelie (2001).
1. Sydney Opera House, Australia
Sydney Opera House, not the Harbour Bridge, is the most filmed landmark in the world outside the US and UK.
Despite its distance from Hollywood, these iconic white curves set against idyllic Sydney Harbour appear in 161 films.
Most recently, it famously featured in rom-com Anyone But You (2023); co-stars Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell sent fans into a frenzy while filming on the Opera House steps.
Other blockbusters include Mission Impossible II (2000), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), and The Fall Guy (2024).
It also appears in Australian-made films such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1995) and Looking for Alibrandi (2000).
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