Tamal Kundu
Based on the 2012 novel ‘Red Notice’ by Andy McNab (pseudonym of British author Steven Billy Mitchell), ‘SAS: Rise of the Black Swan’ or ‘SAS: Red Notice’ is an action film that tells the story of the British Special Air Service operative Tom Buckingham (Sam Heughan), who must save his girlfriend, Dr. Sophie Hart (Hannah John-Kamen), from the elite mercenary group Black Swans that has taken control of a train in the Channel Tunnel. Due to the film’s expansive plot, it is set in various locations across Europe, England, France, and Spain. If you are wondering whether the movie was shot on location or elsewhere, we got you covered.
SAS: Rise of the Black Swan Filming Locations
Director Magnus Martens (‘Jackpot’) and cinematographer Nick Remy Matthews (‘Hotel Mumbai’) shot the film mostly on location except for certain scenes. Production reportedly began around November 2018 and concluded in August 2019. Several members of the cast and crew shared photos from the set on social media. Let’s look at specific locations in detail!
Budapest, Hungary
In November 2018, the filming for ‘SAS: Rise of the Black Swan’ reportedly begun in Budapest, Hungary. The scenes involving the Lewis household are set in the fictional Habsburg house, located in Hampstead Heath in North London. They were reportedly filmed at the famous The Writer’s Villa, located at Művész útca 2, Budapest.
The filmmakers reached out to Eurostar for permission to film the scenes involving the train and the tunnel on location, but they didn’t receive a positive answer. Hence, they recreated parts of the Channel Tunnel at Mafilm Studios, located at Róna útca 174. The interior scenes, in which the St Thomas’ Hospital in Westminster features, were shot in Hungary.
Other Locations in Hungary
The opening sequence, which is set near a village located in the fictional Gveli pass in the Republic of Georgia, was filmed in Hungary. Projects like ‘Black Widow,’ Blade Runner 2049, and ‘Midsommar’ were also shot in the Central European country.
London, England
London features prominently in ‘SAS: Rise of the Black Swan.’ Many of the exterior scenes, in which parts of the city’s famous skyline appear in the background, were filmed on location in London, including the scene in which Tom and Sophie arrive at London St Pancras International Station, located at Euston Road, London N1C 4Q.
Berkshire, England
The Englefield House, built during the Elizabethan period in Englefield, Berkshire, serves as Tom’s ancestral home, the Buckingham Estate, in the film. Some of the projects also shot in the historical property are ‘X: Men First Class’ and ‘The King’s Speech.’
Paris, France
Paris appears after the climactic scenes in the film. Tom proposes to Sophie with the Eiffel Tower in the background. International projects like ‘Inception’ and ‘Inglourious Basterds’ were also shot in the French capital.
Mallorca, Spain
The entire final sequence was shot in Mallorca (Majorca), one of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Sa Foradada peninsula, where a hole in the rock was created in the 16th century during a battle between pirates from North Africa and the natives of the land, is briefly shown in the movie.
Tom and Sophie’s picturesque wedding is set at the Buckingham Villa in Mallorca. It was filmed at Son Marroig, a museum that used to be the palatial home of Archduke Luis Salvado. The property is located at Via Deià, Carretera de Valldemossa, s/n, 07179 Deià in the Balearic Islands.
Read More: Is SAS: Rise of the Black Swana True Story?
