There’s been a lot of talk about Netflix‘s newest film, The Wonder, ever since it debuted at the Telluride Film Festival in September. The film’s high production standards are a big part of the buzz surrounding it because it’s a period drama set in 19th-century Ireland.
Where, exactly, did they shoot The Wonder, and what historical sites were used?
The Wonder Release Date and Plot Preview
After premiering at film festivals and having a limited theatrical release, The Wonder finally made its way to Netflix on November 16, 2022.
The film, based on Emma Donoghue’s novel of the same name, centers on Lib Wright, an English nurse stationed in a remote Irish hamlet in 1862 and tasked with monitoring the progress of a young girl who has not fed in four months.
Lib is baffled by the fact that the fasting girl is still alive, and news of her miraculous survival swiftly spreads, drawing in travelers who think she must be a saint.
Where Was The Wonder Filmed?
The metropolis of Dublin and the beautiful scenery of County Wicklow, Ireland, were used as filming locations for The Wonder. Production for the film started in August of 2021 and continued for a few weeks into late September.
The studio sets for the film’s indoor scenes were constructed in a massive aircraft hangar at Dublin’s Weston Airport. In a peculiar twist, the video demonstrates this by showing viewers glimpses of the studio sets right before the camera cuts to the actors who are about to begin their performances.
County Wicklow, to the south of Dublin, was used for the filming of the rural outdoor sequences in The Wonder. Filming was done in and around the small town of Hollywood, not the city of Hollywood in California.
In addition, Lib’s lodgings for the duration of her trip, Ryan’s Spirit Grocery, are located in a revamped modern café in the heart of Redcross. Near last, the O’Donnell home set was completed for 360-degree filming at Sally Gap in County Wicklow. The more information is unearthed about the girl, the more sinister the situation appears to be.
A Different Kind of Hollywood
Historical records show that Saint Kevin, a sixth-century resident of neighboring County Wicklow, had ties to the Irish community of Hollywood. A large number of pilgrims claimed to have traveled through the village on their way to the neighboring town of Glendalough, where they followed in the footsteps of Saint Kevin.
The population of Hollywood was under one hundred at the time of the 2002 census. Hollywood may just be a small village, but it has proven to be quite popular with moviemakers. In addition to The Wonder, films such as King Arthur (2004), Dancing at Lughnasa, Michael Collins (starring Liam Neeson), and Vikings (a TV series) have all been shot there.
A replica of the Hollywood Sign stands atop a hill in the Irish community, much like its namesake in California. Florence Pugh, who was on set at the time, posted a picture of the sign to Instagram with the caption “Less traffic, greener hills, great Guinness.” One that takes a slightly different approach to Hollywood.
