The most popular films shot in and inspired by Yorkshire including the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey: A New Era

Family-run tourism company Wheelwrights York conducted the research analysing a combination of viewer rankings across IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes along with each film’s weekend Box Office performance. With historic buildings, stunning landscapes and scenery varying from coastal cliffs to populous cities, Yorkshire has lots to offer directors looking for the perfect location for their films.

It’s no surprise that the region has featured in hundreds of films over the last century, but which of them are the most popular?

Taking the top spot is The King’s Speech which was released in 2010, the film made an incredible £347.2 million at box office on the weekend of its release. It gained an impressive 92 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and filming locations include Elland Road Stadium, home of Leeds United FC, and Odsal Stadium in Bradford, home of Bradford Bulls rugby league team.

Two Harry Potter films, Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Philosopher’s Stone, came in second and fourth place respectively. Deathly Hallows Part 1 achieved £790 million at box office, the largest of any film in the list, and has an IMDB average rating of 7.7 and the movie features iconic scenes from Yorkshire including Malham Cove, near Skipton.

Locations such as Harrogate and York feature multiple times in the list; the historic and picturesque destinations have proven to be popular backdrops for the big screen. In addition to the features within the top 10, you can also spot York in the likes of Robinhood: Prince of Thieves, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Garfield 2, which all ranked in the top 100. The historic city of York is also the location of The Shambles, said to be the director’s inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Jerry Rebbeck from Wheelwrights York said: “We’re not surprised to see York featured so heavily in the top rankings. The historic city has everything from quaint streets, to an impressive cathedral, City Walls and bell towers, all which offer a sense of history and grandeur, standing out on screen.”

Below is the full list of the most popular films shot in and inspired by Yorkshire.

1 - The King’s Speech

Locations: Elland Road Stadium in Leeds, Odsal Stadium and Queensbury in Bradford.

2 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Locations: Malham Cove, near Skipton.

3 - The Princess Bride

Locations: Hathersage Moor, Sheffield.

4 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Locations: Goathland Station in Whitby and York station.

5 - Billy Elliot

Locations: Tee Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough.

6 - Barry Lyndon

Locations: Castle Howard in York.

7 - Paddington 2

Locations: Nidd Gorge Viaduct in Harrogate.

8 - Stardust

Locations: Menwith Hill in Harrogate.

9 - Downton Abbey: A New Era

Locations: North York Moors Railway, Pickering station, Wentworth Woodhouse, Harewood House and Dalton Mills.

10 - Atonement

Locations: Redcar Beach, Cous Steelworks, Regent Cinema and Redcar.