SKY

The Amazing Mr Blunden (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Simon Callow, as Mr Blunden, stands in the centre of the frame. Either side of him, peering over some large decorative ornaments, are two children Jamie, played by Jason Rennie, on the left, and Lucy, played by Tsion Habte, on the right. They are inside of a historic looking room with dark orange walls. On either side are windows covered by lace net curtains, and large drawn open grey curtains. Jamie has short curly black hair and wears a black unzipped hoodie with a red t-shirt. Only Lucy’s head is visible, and she has long curly black hair. Mr Blunden has receding white hair and a full grey beard. He wears a long brown woollen coat, with a brown waistcoat underneath and a large red woollen scarf wrapped around his neck. All three characters look nervously off-screen.

The Amazing Mr Blunden © Sky

Writer: Mark Gatiss
Director: Mark Gatiss
Starring: Simon Callow, Tamsin Greig, Mark Gatiss, Tsion Habte, Jason Rennie, India Fowler, Xavier Wilkins
Production Company: Adorable Media
Kent Locations Used: Finchcocks

Based on the 1972 family film of the same name, The Amazing Mr Blunden (2021) tells the story of modern teenagers Lucy and Jamie, whose encounter with a mysterious old man called Mr Blunden leads to them becoming caretakers of an old country home. They soon discover that the home is haunted by the spirits of two young children, Sara and Georgie, and with the help of Mr Blunden, the two teens must travel back in time to save the children’s lives.

Written and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Doctor Who), The Amazing Mr Blunden stars renowned actor Simon Callow (Four Weddings and a Funeral, A Room with a View (1985)) as Mr. Blunden, Tamsin Greig (Episodes, Friday Night Dinner) as Mrs. Wickens and Mark Gatiss as Mr. Wickens, as well as newcomers Tsion Habte (Liar (2017-2020), Sex Education (2021)) as Lucy, Jason Rennie as Jamie, India Fowler (Safe) as Sara and Xavier Wilkins as Georgie.

The production team visited Kent for their shoot, using Finchcocks in Goudhurst as Langley Park, the house the two teenagers are tasked with looking after. Built in 1725, Finchcocks is a fine early Georgian Manor set in 13 acres of parkland and gardens, with extensive views over the Kentish landscape. It is noted for its brickwork, with a dramatic baroque front elevation. For many years, the Manor played host to a Musical Museum, which housed around 115 period keyboard instruments, many of which have featured in TV and film themselves. Now operating as both a family home and a piano workshop retreat, Finchcocks has previously been used as the setting for a Pride and Prejudice sketch in the BBC show French and Saunders (1996).

The Amazing Mr Blunden aired on Sky and NowTV on Friday 24th December 2021.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Landscapers (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Olivia Colman, as Susan Edwards, sits in a bed with an iron headboard. She is leaning on two frilly pillows and is wearing a blue shirt and cardigan. Reflected on the wall behind her is an image of a cowboy in a black hat.

Olivia Colman as Susan Edwards in Landscapers © Sky

Director: Will Sharpe
Starring: Olivia Colman, David Thewlis, Kate O’Flynn, Dipo Ola, Samuel Anderson, Felicity Montagu, Daniel Rigby
Production Company: Sister Productions
Kent Locations Used: Laredo Western Town in Dartford

Landscapers (2021) is a true-crime drama inspired by real events, which documents the unique transformation of a mild-mannered English couple into cold-blooded killers.

The four-part mini-series was created and written by Ed Sinclair (Screenshot) and directed by Will Sharpe (Flowers, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022)).  Olivia Colman (The Crown (2016-2023), The Favourite (2019)) stars as Susan Edwards with David Thewlis (Wonder Woman (2017), Fargo) playing her husband, Christopher. Colman and Thewlis are joined by Kate O’Flynn (Bridget Jones’s Baby) as DC Emma Lancing, Dipo Ola (We Hunt Together) as Douglas Hylton, Susan’s solicitor, Samuel Anderson (Another Life) as DC Paul Wilkie, Felicity Montagu (This Time with Alan Partridge Season 2 (2021)) as Patricia Wycherley, Susan’s mother and Daniel Rigby (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022)) as DCI Geoff Collier.

David Thewlis, as Christopher Edwards, stands under a sheltered bus stop. He stands directly in the middle of the frame, looking off to the right. The bus stop is lit with a blue and green hue, and above the roof are the words ‘Victoria Coach Station’ in blue. On the left side of the bus stop sits a man wearing a black mask covering his face. He also wears a mauve polo shirt, a windbreaker jacket, suit trousers and black shoes. Christopher has short receding hair, and wears a grey windbreaker jacket zipped almost to the top, with a patterned jumper underneath, grey suit trousers, black shoes and wire-rimmed glasses.

David Thewlis in Landscapers © Sky

During filming, production visited Kent to film at Laredo Western Town in Longfield near Dartford. The production filmed a dream sequence where Susan Edwards reimagines the events surrounding the murder of her parents and her subsequent arrest.

Laredo Western Town is situated just twenty miles from London. The town represents the American Wild West as it would have been in 1865 to 1889 featuring 24 buildings including a two-story Hotel with Saloon Bar, Marshals Office, working Blacksmiths, Livery Stables, Bank and many more. All the interiors are fully furnished and decorated to the period. Previous productions to film here include Finding Neverland (2004) and Blood Moon (2014).

Dartford is a historic market town with a rich industrial heritage and boasts Bluewater, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. Recent productions to film here include Gangs of London (2020-2022) and The Corrupted (2019).

 Landscapers was released on Sky Atlantic and NowTV on Tuesday 7th December 2021.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Britannia Series 3 (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
TV series promotional poster for Series 3 featuring actor Sophie Okonedo on the left and David Morrissey on the right dressed in period costume. In the foreground an actress Eleanor Worthington Cox stands centre frame dressed in armour holding a spear. Around the frame are images of a flaming cross, helmet, shields, stone pillars and ruins

Britannia Series 3 © Sky UK Ltd

Writer: Jez Butterworth, Tom Butterworth, James Richardson
Director: Luke Watson, Rob Savage, Sheree Folkston, Christoph Schrewe, Lisa James Larsson, Metin Huseyin, Susan Tully, Mackenzie Crook
Starring: Gianni Calchetti, Mackenzie Crook, David Morrissey, Sophie Okonedo
Production Company: Amazon Studios, Neal Street Productions, Sky, Vertigo Films
Kent Locations Used: High Rocks, Tunbridge Wells

Britannia (2021) is a historical fantasy TV drama set in 43 AD as the Roman Army returns to subjugate Britannia, which is populated by Celtic tribes that include warrior women and powerful druids. Series 3 sees a radical transformation in Cait’s (Eleanor Worthington-Cox) journey as the Chosen One with a decision that will tie her to the future of her war-torn people and their ravaged land.

The series was created by multi-award-winning writers Jez Butterworth (Spectre), his brother Tom Butterworth (Silent Witness) and James Richardson (Bulletproof). Epic, action packed, full of humour and terrifying in equal measure, Britannia is produced by Vertigo Films and Neal Street Productions in association with Sky Studios.

Britannia stars Gianni Calchetti (Cruella, The Third Day (2020)), Mackenzie Crook (Worzel Gummidge, The Office) and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The Missing) and, new to Series 3, Sophie Okonedo (The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016)).

High Rocks in Tunbridge Wells features in Series 3 Episode 5 as the land of the Sunfolk, an all-female tribe of visually impaired warriors. High Rocks is a national monument and site of special scientific interest. It comprises acres of sandstone rocks linked by eleven bridges that provide a scenic walk through a tranquil woodland setting. The rocks were once a stone age camp and provided the perfect backdrop for this Celtic drama.

Tunbridge Wells is a popular filming location and previous drama productions to have visited the area are The Third Day (2020) and Queens of Mystery (2020-2021).

Britannia Series 3 was made available to stream on SKY Atlantic and NOW on Tuesday 24th August 2021.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

CI5: The New Professionals (1999)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Kal Weber as Chris Keel and Colin Wells as Sam Curtis stand on a rooftop. The two men are both dressed in black and are pointing a gun at someone off-screen.

Kal Weber and Colin Wells in CI5: The New Professionals (1999) © Sky / Amazon

Creator: Brian Clemens
Starring: Edward Woodward, Kal Weber, Colin Wells, Lexa Doig, Adrian Irvine
Production Companies: David Wickes TV
Kent Locations Used: Brands Hatch

A revamped version of the 1970s TV series The Professionals, CI5: The New Professionals (1999) is a British crime-drama series about a group of specialists working in the fictional Criminal Intelligence Department 5, investigating acts of terrorism and anarchy.

The show was created by Brian Clemens (The Avengers, The Professionals) and the main cast includes Edward Woodward (The Wicker Man, The Equalizer) as Harry Malone, Kal Weber (Mile High, Hell on Wheels) as Chris Keel, Colin Wells (Titus, Casualty) as Sam Curtis, Lexa Doig (Arrow, Stargate SG-1) as Tina Backus and Adrian Irvine (Vera, Coronation Street) as Spencer.

Kent features in Episode 11 of the series, titled ‘High Speed’. Production visited Brand’s Hatch in Fawkham, which doubled as the Bluckner Race Track where some illegal gold smuggling was taking place.

Brands Hatch is a truly unique location – a motor racing circuit with views across almost all the Indy circuit, surrounded by woodland. The site also contains a rally course and off-road 4×4 course which are available for filming. Other productions to shoot at Brands Hatch include Grand Prix (1966) and Rush (2013).

CI5: The New Professionals aired on Sky One in 1999 and is now available to stream on Amazon Prime.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.