Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour (2017) Photo by Jack English © 2017 FOCUS FEATURES LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Writer: Anthony McCarten
Director: Joe Wright
Starring: Gary Oldman, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup, Samuel West
Production Company: Wanda Pictures and Working Title Films
Kent Locations Used: Fort Amherst and Chartwell House
Darkest Hour is a war drama that follows Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) as he becomes Prime Minister at the start of the Second World War. Churchill is faced with a tough decision: negotiate with Adolf Hitler, who rages war across Europe, or fight and risk many British lives.
Darkest Hour is written by Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything) and directed by Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice). The film stars Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises), Lily James (Cinderella), Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One), Kristin Scott Thomas (Only God Forgives), Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones), Ronald Pickup (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Samuel West (Suffragette) and many others.
Several scenes from the production were filmed at Fort Amherst which itself was used during World War II as an Air Raid Warning command post. Fort Amherst has tunnels that have featured in many films, such as Jekyll and Hyde (2015).
Other scenes were filmed in the grounds of Chartwell House, Churchill’s former home. Set in delightful gardens, Chartwell is a National Trust property in Westerham and the rooms remain much as they were when Churchill lived there. Chartwell has previously been used as a film location by productions such as Flog It! (2014) and The Gathering Storm (2002).
Darkest Hour will be released in the UK on 12th January 2018.
See Darkest Hour trailer here:
For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.
