Most of us know that iconic films such as Billy Elliot were filmed in County Durham- but did you also know about Alien 3?

Durham has been the backdrop for many blockbuster movies- the picturesque building and rolling hills are a dream for film producers.

Here are just five movies you probably didn’t know were filmed in the region.

1917 (2020)

(Credit: Facebook/ 1917/ DreamWorks Pictures,Reliance Entertainment, New Republic Pictures, Mogambo, Neal Street Productions, Amblin Partners)

Some dramatic scenes of this award-winning movie were shot in County Durham.

Low Force Waterfall, on the river Tees, was used during a nail-biting chase scene.

Downton Abbey: The Movie (2019)

(Credit: YouTube/ Focus Features, dir. Michael Engler) 

Durham was taken back to 1927 during the filming of this movie.

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, features in the movie.

Over 100 cast and crew descended on the museum in 2018 and some of the movie shots featured the museum’s period vehicles.

Lady Macbeth (2017)

(Credit: YouTube/ Movieclips Indie, BBC Films, BBC Films institute)

This Shakespeare adaptation was filmed across several locations In the North East.

Chester-le-Street, a beach in Seaham and Cow Green Reservoir near Teesdale were all used while filming Lady Macbeth.

Director of the movie, William Oldroyd, attended Durham University which could be why he chose to film here.

Avengers Endgame (2019)

(Credit: Facebook/ @avengers)
The much anticipated Avengers: Endgame was filmed near Durham Cathedral.

The cathedral itself is in the movie- but it might be hard to recognise. It features when Thor travels back to old Asgard.

Alien 3 (1992)

(Credit: YouTube, JoBlo Movie Trailers, 20th Century Fox‎)

It may be set in outer space- but some scenes of Alien 3 were filmed right on our doorstep.

Blast Beach on the Durham Coast featured as the surface of an eerie and inhospitable alien planet.

The Coast itself has since won a UK Landscape Award, so make sure to visit if you are movie buff in need of a day out.