Dungeons & Dragons: Northern Ireland's 'epic scenery ideal' for production

Michelle Rodriguez and Chris Pine star in the latest Hollywood adaptation of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons

Northern Ireland's epic and ancient scenery made it the perfect location to shoot a huge Hollywood blockbuster, one of the film's producers has said.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, based on the role-playing board game, is another addition to the long list of productions filmed here.

Jeremy Latcham said Northern Ireland had a timeless quality that was ideal.

Eagle-eyed, or rather dragon-eyed, viewers will be able to spot some familiar locations on the big screen.

The fantasy epic was filmed in Belfast's Titanic Studios throughout 2021 and in areas like Tollymore Forest, Carrickfergus Castle, Clandeboye Estate, Ballintoy Beach, Fairhead and Dunseverick Castle.

The film follows in the footsteps of television hits like Game of Thrones and Line of Duty, as well as other big screen blockbusters like The Northman - all of which which were shot in Northern Ireland.

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Boasting a star-studded cast including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant, the film depicts a charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertaking an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic.

The films boasts a star studded cast including Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez

As well as showcasing the beauty of Northern Ireland to a global audience, the production generated an estimated £43m for the local economy, Northern Ireland Film has said.

More than 500 people worked behind the scenes on the movie.

'What a beautiful country'

"Northern Ireland has a film credit that is really incredible," producer Jeremy Latcham told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme.

"The fact that big movies and big productions have shot here shows that this is a place that is welcoming of big movies.

"We were invited to come and check it out and consider it for the film, but it didn't take much convincing."

He said he had the privilege of living in Belfast for seven months during filming.

"It had everything we needed and everything we would could ever dream of needing in terms of filming locations and scenery.

"You needed something that really feels timeless and epic and Northern Ireland just has this ancient feel to it, like everything feels like it has been there for millennia."

Mr Latcham says one of his favourite experiences was seeing the Giant's Causeway from above on a helicopter trip

Mr Latcham said he was fortunate enough to take in the epic views on frequent helicopter trips to and from multiple shoot locations.

"We got to fly along the countryside and even fly over the Giant's Causeway from the air and it's one of the most beautiful sights you could ever imagine."

However, Mr Latcham told Evening Extra he got a little too close to some of the scenery while filming in a County Down forest.

"Tollymore Forest as well was amazing, there is a shot in the movie of this absolutely gorgeous light coming through the trees - but I remember I actually fell into a river there which was unfortunate.

"The film crew were actually quite worried because it looked like I had banged my head on the rocks, but I just jumped up, smiling and laughing because of my idiocy."

Tollymore Forest Park in County Down was one of the locations used on the production

Despite the unexpected swim, Mr Latcham said he thoroughly enjoyed his time in Northern Ireland.

"It was wild, it was a lot of fun and what a beautiful country - we just had the most fun filming there, and the people were so welcoming," he said.