As the oldest and arguably most famous public transport system in the world, the London Underground has long been a source of inspiration for filmmakers, with everything from Hollywood blockbusters to indie horror movies filmed on the London Underground.
It’s always exciting when we see the ‘Tube’ take centre stage in Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster movies. We love those moments when you can point at the screen and say “I used to work five minutes from there!” or “That’s where I use to eat my sandwich every morning!”.
In celebration of these moments, we’ll count down the top 7 moments in Hollywood movies when the London Underground took centre stage. Enjoy!
Skyfall – Temple Station
That’s one great thing about the tube that every Londoner knows – it’s the perfect place to escape when you’re being chased by secret agents.
The maze-like corridors and throngs of people make for a dramatic scene in Skyfall, where bond has to chase the escaped villain through the U
Like a few of the spots on this list, the Temple Station shown in the movie wasn’t actually Temple, but a disused platform in Charing Cross.
Sliding Doors – Embankment Station
Underground stations make for a fun set piece in a lot of movies but rarely do they form the centrepiece of an entire plot. However, that’s very much the case in Sliding Doors, where closing doors on a tube carriage changes the course of our heroine’s life forever.
28 Days Later – Canary Wharf
The Underground might feel like home most of the time, but it can also be a dark, creepy and foreboding place. A blood-curdling scene 28 days later makes full use of the claustrophobic atmosphere as our heroes take shelter in a locked concession stand in Canary Wharf station.
Harry Potter (Order of the Phoenix) – Westminster Station
This classic franchise has so many iconic London moments, many of which you can visit easily in the centre of London. However, our favourite Harry Potter in London moment has got to be when Harry visits Westminster station with Mr Weasley in Order of the Phoenix. Walking into a closed station barrier is an experience we’ve all had at some point or another.
A special thank you to Mr Weasley for reminding us to top up our Oyster Cards! “Genius, these muggles…” You can also join our Harry Potter Studio Tour if you’re keen to fully experience the Harry Potter World.
Atonement – Balham Station
The Underground is a fun, exciting place for new visitors to London. However, they also have a sad history, too. During World War Two, London’s tube network was used often used as an air raid shelter to keep citizens safe from bombing raids.
This had disastrous consequences in 1940 when a falling bomb destroyed the water main at Balham Station and flooded the platform. This tragic event is rendered beautifully rendered in the closing scene of 2007’s Atonement.
Bourne Ultimatum – Charing Cross and Waterloo
This white-knuckle spy thriller does a fantastic job of capturing the hustle and bustle of London’s busiest stations. The chase scene across Waterloo station is exciting enough, but the action gets even more frantic when Bourne descends into the bowels of Charing Cross station, missing his mark by only a few seconds.
Every Londoner knows that pang of disappointment when the carriage doors close right in front of your nose.
Thor: The Dark World – Charing Cross
Marvel fans will remember this classic scene of Thor materializing in Charing Cross station. It’s perfect comedy timing and fish-out-of-water humour made audiences across the world giggle.
All except us Londoners, however, were furious at the writers’ understanding of the capital’s geography. Charing Cross to Greenwich in three stops? Don’t think so…
For more classic movie experiences in London, don’t miss out on the fantastic Harry Potter Studio Tour London. Relive the classic moments from the Harry Potter movies and see real sets and costumes.
