Stephen Dillane

Darkest Hour (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Gary Oldman in his role as Chrurchill giving the Victory sign in parliament in the film the Darkest Hour (2017)

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016)

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Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy walking along a beach towards the camera away from a burning plane

The Tunnel Sabotage Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy © Sky Kudos CANAL+

Writer: Ben Richards

Starring: Stephen Dillane, Clémence Poésy, Angel Coulby, Emilia Fox, Clarke Peters, Paul Schneider, William Ash

Production Company: Kudos Film and Television, Shine France

Kent Locations Used: Euro Tunnel, Folkestone Harbour, Discovery Park, Folkestone, Deal and Deal Pier, Dover including the Port and Dover Castle, Westwood Industrial Estate Margate, Ramsgate, Botany Bay – Broadstairs, The Barn in Upstreet, St Martin’s Hospital, Knowlton Court and many more.

The Tunnel: Sabotage is the second series of Sky Atlantic’s critically acclaimed show, re-uniting unlikely Anglo-French detective duo Karl Roebuck (Stephen Dillane) and Elise Wasserman (Clémence Poésy) on another intense investigation.

While series one was a re-imagining of Scandinavian drama “The Bridge”, the new series is an original story by Ben Richards (Outcasts, Spooks) and kicks off with two seemingly isolated events: a plane crashing into the Channel, killing everyone on board and a French couple abducted from the Eurotunnel.

Elise Wasserman (Clémence Poésy), having been promoted to French Commander, is reunited with DCI Karl Roebuck (Dillane) to investigate the two cases. The cross border teams follow a shocking trail of devastation as the victims mount up and become embroiled in a terrifying, deadly game.

The gripping eight part thriller is a Sky Atlantic and Canal+ co-production, made by Kudos and Shine Films France. Joining The Tunnel’s acclaimed production team for the second series are director Mike Barker (Broadchurch, The Smoke) and producer Julian Stevens (Hustle, The Fall).

Stephen Dillane (King Arthur, Game of Thrones) and Clémence Poésy (127 Hours, In Bruges) return in the lead roles, supported by Angel Coulby (Merlin, The Jacket), and new to series two, Emilia Fox (Silent Witness, The Wrong Mans), Clarke Peters (Notting Hill, The Wire), Paul Schneider (Parks and Recreation, The Newsroom) and William Ash (Waterloo Road, Shameless).

The hit first series was largely filmed in Kent and the county welcomed The Tunnel: Sabotage production team once again to their base at Discovery Park in Sandwich. Filming took place in a number of East Kent locations between April and July 2015 including:

Canterbury: The Barn in Upstreet, St Martin’s Hospital, Knowlton Court

Dover: Discovery Park, Deal and Deal Pier, the town of Dover, Port of Dover, Inn and Hotel, Deal, Sandwich Marina, Dover Castle – Admiral’s lookout

Shepway: Euro Tunnel, the town of Folkestone, Folkestone Harbour

Thanet: set building in a warehouse on Westwood Industrial Estate in Margate, Botany Bay and the towns of Ramsgate and Margate

East Kent is ideally situated with great transport links both to London and Europe. The area boasts a wealth of locations including industrial as well as historic buildings and beautiful coastal landscapes. East Kent has previously featured on screen in many projects such as Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Edge of Heaven (2014), The Honourable Woman (2014), Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011), Great Expectations (2011/2012), On A Clear Day (2005) and Die Another Day (2002).

Don’t miss the much anticipated return of The Tunnel: Sabotage which starts on Tuesday 12th April 2016 at 21:00 on Sky Atlantic. The whole series will also be available on Sky Box Sets from this date.

 

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

The Tunnel (2013)

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Clemence Poesy (Elise Wassermann) and Stephen Dillane (Karl Roebuck) standing in the centre of a tunnel

The Tunnel – Clemence Poesy (Elise Wassermann) and Stephen Dillane (Karl Roebuck) © Sky Atlantic/Justin Downing

 

Starring: Stephan Dillane, Clemence Poesy, Keeley Hawes, Liz Smith, David G. Robinson, Angel Coulby, Tobi Bakere, Mathieu Carriere

Production Company: Kudos Film and Television, Shine France

Kent Locations: Channel Tunnel, Folkestone Harbour, Discovery Park, Connaught Barracks, Folkestone, Dover, Margate, The Port of Dover, The Turner Contemporary and many more.      

Inspired by hit Scandinavian drama The Bridge, The Tunnel is a new 10 part Sky Atlantic series set against the backdrop of a European crisis after a French politician is found dead on the border between the UK and France. Detectives from the respective countries are sent to investigate but at the crime scene comes a shocking discovery, forcing the French and British police into an uneasy partnership.  As the serial killer uses ever more elaborate and ingenious methods to highlight the moral bankruptcy of modern society, the detectives are drawn deeper into his increasingly personal agenda.

The series is a Sky Atlantic HD and CANAL+ co-production from Kudos Film and TV and Shine France Films in association with Filmlance and was adapted by an Anglo-French writing team led by Ben Richards (Spooks, Outcasts, Party Animals).

The series stars many famous faces including Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones), Clémence Poésy (Harry Potter series), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons), Keeley Hawes (Ashes to Ashes), Liz Smith (The Royal Family), Tobi Bakare (Silent Witness), Jeanne Balibar (The Invisible Woman), Thibault de Montalembert (Days of Glory), Mathieu Carrièrre (High Speed), Angel Coulby (Merlin) and Jack Lowden (Mrs Biggs).

In November 2012, Kent welcomed The Tunnel’s production team who based themselves at Discovery Park in Sandwich.  Filming took place at a variety of East Kent locations between February 2013 and August 2013.

Many prominent Kent locations were used such as the Channel Tunnel, Connaught Barracks, Discovery Park, Folkestone Harbour, The Turner Contemporary, The Port of Dover, Westwood Cross Shopping Centre as well as the towns of Folkestone, Dover and Margate, and the production also made use of the Kent Film Office’s legal powers to close roads for filming.

East Kent has previously provided the back drop for many filming projects such as Dominic Savage’s True Love (2012), Ginger and Rosa (2012), My Week with Marilyn (2011), Son of Rambow (2008) and Venus (2007).

Don’t miss the start of The Tunnel which will be start on Wednesday 16th October 2013 on Sky Atlantic at 21:00.

 

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

Hunted (2012)

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Hunted - Melissa George as Sam Hunter facing away from the camera leant against a white wall. She's holding a gun.

Hunted – Melissa George as Sam Hunter © BBC/Kudos

Director: SJ Clarkson (Dexter, Ugly Betty & Heroes)

Writer: Frank Spotnitz (The X Files)

Production Company: Kudos, Big Light Productions

Kent locations used: Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells

Sam Hunter is a spy who works for an elite private intelligence firm and during her latest mission escapes an attempted assassination. Realising someone has set her up and not knowing who to trust, Sam tries to find out who wants her dead.

This original, eight-part BBC spy drama is from the makers of Spooks and features Melissa George (Grey’s Anatomy) as Sam Hunter. She is supported by a cast of familiar faces including Adam Raynor (Mistresses) who plays Sam’s colleague and romantic interest, Stephen Dillane (Game Of Thrones), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost), Lex Shrapnel (Captain America: The First Avenger), and Morven Christie (Twenty Twelve).

Sam Hunter (Melissa George) with a gun pointed at the camera

Hunted © BBC/Kudos

In March this year, the Hunted crew came to Scotney Castle film various stunt and fight scenes in both the country house and oasts. Scotney Castle is a National Trust property which boasts a spectacular Victorian country mansion surrounded by beautiful gardens and woodland, as well as a fairytale inspired castle ruin complete with a moat set in the beautiful Tunbridge Wells countryside.

Many other well-known productions have also chosen Tunbridge Wells to serve as a backdrop including Queens of Mystery (2019).

Don’t miss the first episode of Hunted on 4th October 2012 at 21:00 on BBC One. 

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

The Gathering (2003)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
The Barons Hall large room with a meeting table in. Church officials are sat around the edge.

Church Officials meeting in The Barons Hall, Penshurst Place © Granada Films

Written by: Anthony Horowitz

Directed by: Brian Gilbert

Starring: Christina Ricci, Harry Forrester, Stephen Dillane, Peter McNamara, Robert Hardy, Ioan Gruffudd, Simon Russell Beale

Production Company: Granada Film Productions, Isle of Man Film Commission, Samuelson Productions, Isle of Man Film

Kent Locations: Penshurst Place

The Gathering is a supernatural thriller about Cassie, a young woman who forgets her identity after a car accident. As a mysterious, buried First Century church is uncovered, a dark history regarding some of the townspeople is revealed. Cassie begins to have premonitions of people whose lives are in danger and as events unfold, she realises who she really is.

The film stars Christina Ricci (The Ice Storm, Sleepy Hollow), Stephen Dillane (Spy Game, King Arthur), Robert Hardy (Frankenstein, Sense and Sensibility), Ioan Gruffudd (Black Hawk Down, Fantastic 4 Franchise), Harry Forrester (The Bill) and Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave, Bright Stair).

The Barons Hall at Penshurst Place provided the location for the scenes where the Bishop held meetings with the clergy.

Penshurst Place is a beautiful medieval estate with a history spanning nearly 700 years. It is popular with the visiting public due to the dedicated conservation of the rooms and its beautifully maintained gardens. The vast home and grounds have previously welcomed productions such as Henry V (2012), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) and BBC’s Merlin (2008).

The Gathering was released in January 2003 and is now available to buy on DVD.

 

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