Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and also a thriving mecca for the film industry. Don't miss these unique film experiences.
Wellington is home to a hub of world-class production and special effects facilities, as well as a number of talented filmmakers and crew who've worked on global movie releases such as Avatar and Avatar II. Most of the world-class movie-making talent and technologies are located in the eastern seaside suburb of Miramar.
The dual companies of Wētā Workshop(opens in new window) and Wētā FX(opens in new window) have helped create some of the world’s most creative and cutting-edge films and television series with leading international film studios. Legendary Hollywood director James Cameron chose Wellington to make the Oscar-winning film Avatar, and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water some 13 years apart. Other Hollywood blockbusters Wētā has worked on include The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong, The Avengers, and Ghost in the Shell.
Park Road Production(opens in new window) is a premier post-production facility that offers a huge number of resources to help filmmakers concentrate on the creative process. Only taking on a few projects every year, Park Road has worked on blockbusters such as The Adventures of Tintin, District 9, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Last Samurai.
Stone Street Studios(opens in new window) is another world-class resource created by filmmakers for filmmakers, offering a range of production facilities including four massive purpose-built sound stages, a paintshop, a wet stage, and construction warehouse.
“Wellywood”, as Wellington is affectionately known, offers a number of ways for visitors to experience the city’s film industry.
Wētā Workshop Experience (opens in new window)- This is your gateway to immersive filmmaking experiences in Wellington, New Zealand.
Explore 20 years of creativity here - packed full of props, weapons, models and costumes from film and television. You can also explore the Wētā Cave shop after the tour, where you can browse incredible collectibles and see an exclusive, free behind-the-scenes documentary.
Embassy Theatre(opens in new window) - This historic theatre was built in 1926 and hosted the premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Check out the name plates with the actors and characters’ names by the leather seats.
Roxy Cinema - Owned by Wētā co-founders Tania Rodger and Jamie Selkirk, the beautifully revamped Roxy Cinema(opens in new window) combines the style of the Art Deco era with the modern technology of 21st century cinema watching. Enjoy delicious local cuisine at the cinema’s restaurant, CoCo at the Roxy, and the stunning Wētā Workshop artwork that features throughout the building.
Mount Victoria - The very first day of shooting for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy took place on Mount Victoria’s city belt, where the Hobbiton Woods were filmed. Mount Victoria also has fantastic views of Wellington City and its harbour.
Adventure Safari - the expert tour operator offers Wellington Movie Tours(opens in new window) that will take you to specific filming locations, showing and explaining the scenes that were filmed there. It also includes a visit to the Wētā Workshop Experience and the Wētā Cave.
