Few places in England are as cinematic as Durdle Door. The great limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth Cove has long drawn filmmakers, directors and music video producers keen to capture the drama of its cliffs, sea and shingle beach. From Hollywood blockbusters to Bollywood hits, period dramas to family favourites, Dorset Cottage Holidays takes a look at some of the biggest productions filmed at this iconic landmark.
Project Hail Mary (2026)
The most recent, and most talked about, production to use Durdle Door is the science fiction blockbuster Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling. Released in UK cinemas in March 2026, it became the year’s biggest box office hit, taking over £120 million in its opening weekend. Based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, the film includes an emotionally powerful closing scene set on the beach at Durdle Door. Filming took place over several days in October 2024, with the Lulworth Estate temporarily closing the beach, Man O’War Beach and the car park for the Amazon MGM crew. Locals walking the South West Coast Path reported spotting Ryan Gosling himself on the beach.
Housefull 3 (2016)
Long before Ryan Gosling’s visit, Bollywood had already introduced Durdle Door to a global audience of hundreds of millions. The 2016 comedy Housefull 3, starring Akshay Kumar and Jacqueline Fernandez, filmed scenes on the beach for the hit song Pyar Ki Maa Ki. The film’s success saw Durdle Door become a popular destination for Indian tourists, with the Lulworth Estate even adding Hindi-language signage to the beach.
Far from the Madding Crowd (1967 and 2015)
Thomas Hardy set his novels in the fictional county of Wessex, his literary interpretation of Dorset, so it is fitting that adaptations of his work return to the county time and again. The 1967 version, starring Julie Christie and Terence Stamp, features Durdle Door in a memorable swimming scene near Scratchy Bottom. The 2015 remake, starring Carey Mulligan, also used the location, alongside Mapperton House, West Bay and Sherborne.
Nanny McPhee (2005) and Wilde (1997)
The beloved family film Nanny McPhee, starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, used Durdle Door for a seaside picnic scene, with equipment reportedly delivered to the beach by helicopter given the steep descent from the clifftop car park. The 1997 biographical drama Wilde, starring Stephen Fry, Jude Law and Vanessa Redgrave, also features the landmark in a poignant scene reflecting on marriage.
On the small screen
Durdle Door has also had its moments on television. In 2022, it was the setting for one of Doctor Who’s most dramatic regenerations, as Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor transformed into David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor in the special episode The Power of the Doctor. In June 2023, Netflix’s fantasy series The Sandman, based on Neil Gaiman’s graphic novels and starring Tom Sturridge, filmed scenes at the beach.
With such a rich cinematic history on its doorstep, Dorset Cottage Holidays offers the perfect base for visitors keen to explore the Jurassic Coast and see Durdle Door for themselves.
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