When you think of the global film industry, your mind likely jumps straight to Hollywood, Cannes, or perhaps Leicester Square.
However, our local borough has quietly transformed into a powerhouse for international cinema.
Thanks to our historic architecture, sprawling countryside, and the opening of the massive, state-of-the-art Shinfield Studios complex, some of the world’s biggest movie stars have been setting up camp right here in our borough.
Just recently, plans were submitted to Wokingham borough counci vfor an expanded external filming backlot, proving the local silver-screen boom shows no signs of slowing down.
Here are five major movies you might not realize were filmed right here in and around Wokingham.
1. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
When Hollywood royalty Paul Rudd, Bill Murray, and Dan Aykroyd geared up to battle a death-chilling supernatural entity in the latest instalment of the legendary Ghostbusters franchise, they traded New York City for the heart of the Wokingham borough.
A significant portion of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was captured right inside the high-tech soundstages of Shinfield Studios. Production crews spent months utilizing the local facilities to create complex special effects blocks and replicate iconic American sets, making the borough the secret home of the Ecto-1.
2. The Boys in the Boat (2023)
Directed by Hollywood megastar George Clooney, this inspiring biographical sports drama follows the University of Washington rowing team’s miraculous journey to gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Clooney, who is a famous local resident living just over the border in Sonning, chose to keep production remarkably close to home. The film crew heavily utilised Winnerish Film Studios, alongside nearby Dorney Lake, to capture the grueling, high-intensity training sequences that formed the emotional backbone of the movie.
3. The Magic Faraway Tree (2026)
Based on Enid Blyton’s beloved children’s book series, this upcoming star-studded fantasy film features an incredible British cast including Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, and Nicola Coughlan.
The whimsical, heavily anticipated production wrapped up its comprehensive filming schedule earlier this year, completely taking over multiple stages at Shinfield Studios.
Local set designers transformed the Wokingham borough facility into the various magical, shifting lands that sit atop the iconic tree, ready to enchant global audiences when it hits theatres.
4. Greenland: Migration (2026)
Action star Gerard Butler brought high-octane disaster cinema directly to Berkshire for the highly anticipated survival sequel, Greenland: Migration.
Following up on the global success of the first post-apocalyptic thriller, the production crew moved into the borough’s local studio network to construct massive, elaborate sets representing a ruined, post-comet Earth.
Butler and co-star Morena Baccarin spent considerable time filming intense action sequences right under our noses.
5. Tamahine (1963)
While Wokingham’s modern studio spaces are grabbing current headlines, the borough’s relationship with Hollywood dates back more than sixty years. In the summer of 1962, the historic Wellington College in Crowthorne was completely transformed into the fictional “Hallow School” for the classic MGM comedy-romance, Tamahine.
The film starred international icon Nancy Kwan and featured a young James Fox. In a delightful piece of local history, dozens of real Wellington College students signed up to spend two weeks of their summer holidays working as on-screen film extras.
The production team even erected a fake statue of the school’s founder on the South Front, paying the students 25 shillings a day to sunbathe and act in the background!
