Northern Ireland has been a go-to place for film and TV productions for years now.
Despite Game of Thrones ending its run in 2019, plenty of filmmakers have been enticed by Northern Ireland's beautiful landscapes and excellent filmmaking infrastructure, and have made it their destination for shooting.
Thanks to this, there's always plenty of exciting local and international projects in the works here at any given time.
We took a look at some of the films and TV shows which have been filming in Northern Ireland recently, and which we'll hopefully be able to see on our screens in 2021.
FILMS
The Northman
Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe and brothers Alexander and Bill Skarsgard are just some of the huge names tipped to star in Robert Eggers’ 10th century revenge drama The Northman, which is set in Iceland but which was filmed along the north coast of County Antrim, as well as near Ballygally.
Both Kidman and Taylor-Joy shared snaps from their time in Northern Ireland, and filming for The Northman wrapped up in December. There is no official release date yet.
Black Medicine
Black Medicine tells the story of Jo, a black-market medic who carries out illegal operations for the criminal underworld. When she gives refuge to a young girl, Jo must choose between breaking her medical oath or crossing her ruthless employers.
Black Medicine was written and directed by local filmmaker Colum Eastwood and was filmed on location in Belfast, Bangor and Ballynahinch, among other locations.
It stars Northern Irish actress Antonio Campbell-Hughes.
There's no definitive release date for Black Medicine yet, but filming wrapped up in December 2019.
TV SHOWS
Line of Duty
Jed Mercurio’s widely-acclaimed police drama is back for a sixth series.
This time around, AC-12 regulars Compston, McClure and Dunbar face their “most enigmatic adversary” – DCI Joanne Davidson, played by Trainspotting’s Kelly Macdonald, according to the BBC.
The show has been filmed in Belfast since 2014. The sixth season was filmed over the course of the 2020, having been forced to stop in March due to Covid restrictions, then resuming in September. Filming was wrapped up by the end of the year.
Line of Duty season 6 is set to start broadcasting on the BBC in early 2021.
Bloodlands
Executive produced by Jed Mercurio - the man behind Line of Duty - Bloodlands is set to be the latest crime drama that will have us hooked. The story follows Northern Irish police detective Tom Brannick (James Nesbitt), who is thrown into a cold case from his past whenever a car containing a suicide note is pulled out of Lough Neagh.
Bloodlands was filmed throughout Northern Ireland in early 2020, with filming finishing in March of that year. We hope to see it on our screens soon.
Marcella
The third series of ITV's 'nordic-noir' crime series Marcella was filmed in Belfast, and features a Belfast crime storyline.
The series stars Anna Friel as Marcella Backland, a former London detective who, in the first series, gets thrown into an old case from the past while also trying to juggle her turbulent family relationships.
Now into its third series, the show depicts Marcella coming to Belfast as an undercover detective.
Teasing the new series, ITV said: "Following on from the dramatic conclusion of the previous series, the new eight-parter sees Marcella in Belfast as an undercover detective.
"She has taken on a new identity, Keira, and has infiltrated the infamous Maguire crime family but as she investigates their activities, questions come to the fore about how much she’s embraced the Keira personality and left Marcella behind.
"In true Marcella style, the series has interweaving storylines with strands focusing upon the Maguires’ criminal operations. As she inhabits the character of Keira, Marcella’s quest for the truth puts her in danger and others in harm’s way. Her undercover role makes her take risks, but will her old life eventually catch up with her?"
Marcella season 3 is set to start airing on ITV in January 2021.
