Join me on a cinematic adventure through Berlin’s stunning streets with our guide to iconic Netflix filming locations. Discover the city’s hidden gems as we reveal the backdrop of your favorite Netflix shows. Explore Berlin like never before – from the screen to the streets, discover the magic of ‘Berlin Netflix Filming Locations’.
Whenever you watch a show on Netflix, you will always capture a piece of Berlin. For a while, it seemed to me like Berlin was the perfect Netflix filming location, and there is some truth to that.
It might be thanks to the excellent production infrastructure, funding conditions, and visionary atmosphere. Berlin and its surroundings strongly attract producers, film distributors, streaming portals, and VFX companies worldwide who produce films, series, or shows here or in Berlin.
The most exciting part for me is walking around town in one of my many photo walks and recognizing a familiar place.
There is always a moment when I wonder why I know this place, and, most times, it comes back to me that I saw this in a popular movie or show like Dark or Queen’s Gambit.
Berlin’s Netflix Filming Locations Explored
After writing about some of these shows, I put together a list, an archive of sorts, where I keep track of all the Berlin Netflix filming locations. Let’s start this with the Queen’s Gambit.
The Queen’s Gambit: A Journey through Chess and Berlin
Netflix benders are a popular way to unwind, and I’m no exception – especially when it comes to The Queen’s Gambit. But for me, this show was more than just a captivating story and Anya Taylor-Joy’s incredible performance.
As someone who loves scouting movie locations in Berlin, I was thrilled to learn that many of the show’s scenes were shot there. It made watching the show even more exciting and personal for me. I’m grateful for the chance to experience such a well-crafted series, and it’s even more special knowing that I’ve visited some of the places where it was filmed.
From the iconic Run Lola Run to the enigmatic Dark, I’ve been on a quest to uncover and showcase Berlin’s cinematic allure. Queen’s Gambit became the latest addition to my film location pursuits.
In this article, I’ll guide you through some easily accessible locations just a subway ride from Berlin’s central tourist hubs. Join me as I explore how the producers ingeniously transformed Berlin into the backdrop of Paris, Moscow, Kentucky, and even Mexico.
Dark Berlin: Unveiling the Mysterious Locations of the Time-Traveling Series
Contrary to the typical portrayal of small German towns, the creators of the series Dark, Baran bo Odarn and Jantje Friese, purposefully designed the fictional town of Winden to be elusive, a place that doesn’t conform to the characteristics of a northern German city or a quaint Bavarian village.
In their pursuit of a setting that could exceed geographical boundaries, the creators set their sights on Berlin and its surroundings. Their mission was to discover a village aesthetic that seamlessly blended with the intricate storyline of Dark, making Winden a place that could exist anywhere, transcending a specific regional identity.
Venturing beyond Berlin and delving into the forested areas around Grünewald, the landscape underwent a remarkable transformation. The straight, towering trees created an eerie, almost fairy-tale-like atmosphere, distinct from the urban landscapes in places like Neukölln.
For those unbothered by spoilers, the following text delves deeper into my discoveries. Within this captivating environment, I untangled the various filming locations featured in Dark.
Future Berlin in Netflix’s Mute: A Glimpse into a Sci-Fi Reality
Step into the futuristic world of Mute, a Netflix film set in Berlin in 2052, where an Amish bartender navigates a visually stunning narrative alongside his girlfriend. Directed by Duncan Jones, Mute offers a glimpse into a future Berlin that echoes the city where the director’s father, David Bowie, once lived during the 1970s.
Duncan Jones’ vision of 2052 Berlin is a captivating blend of the familiar and the fantastical. Amidst the urban landscape, American soldiers patrol the streets, and an unconventional version of Deutschmarks, featuring the faces of Angela Merkel and David Hasselhoff, circulates as the currency of the day.
Yet, even in this altered Berlin, iconic landmarks transform; the TV Tower vanishes, and the Berlin Wall ceases to exist. The skyline, however, emerges as the most pronounced departure from the present. City planners opt for a futuristic aesthetic, embracing a proliferation of skyscrapers that redefine the horizon. Neon signs illuminate the streets, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a dystopian Tokyo or a futuristic Dubai.
Mute transports us three decades forward, challenging our perceptions of the city while captivating us with its striking visual narrative.
Infamous Späti: The Spot Where Luka Magnotta Was Arrested in Berlin
This is not a location per se, but we thought it would be an excellent addition to this article since a Netflix show mentions it: Don’t F**k with Cats.
In 2012, the egregious acts of Luka Magnotta sent shockwaves globally when he murdered Lin Jun and brazenly posted a video online depicting the horrifying crime. At the time, Magnotta was in Canada. Still, he fled to Europe, making stops in Paris and eventually landing in Berlin, where authorities apprehended him.
The chilling narrative of Luka Magnotta resurfaced for us in 2020 when I tuned into Netflix’s gripping documentary series, Don’t F**k with Cats. As the details unfolded on my screens, I couldn’t help but recall the bizarre story touching this city. This prompted me to journey to the späti, where Luka Magnotta was arrested in Berlin.
As I look back on my time in Berlin, I can’t help but recall the shock I felt when I learned about the disturbing events surrounding Magnotta. Although my memories of his time in Paris are a bit fuzzy, one fact remains clear – he was apprehended on the street where I now reside.
It’s hard to believe that such a notorious figure was captured just a stone’s throw away from my new home. But despite the surreal nature of this realization, I feel grateful to be living in a safe and vibrant community.
The impact of such a chilling event happening nearby is hard to forget. However, as life unfolded, the shocking episode slipped into the recesses of my memory.
It wasn’t until the summer of 2020, amid the boredom induced by the COVID-19 lockdown, that I stumbled upon Don’t F**k with Cats on Netflix and found myself revisiting the eerie connection between a Canadian fugitive and the streets of Berlin.
Insights into Berlin’s Role in Netflix Productions
Besides the prominent topics of production infrastructure, funding conditions, and creative atmosphere, Berlin is an excellent location for movies and series for another reason. Due to the Berlin Wall and the Second World War, the city evolved differently. The eastern side of the town has a different style of architecture than most of the west side.
And, starting in the late 1970s, 30 years after the first Interbau, Berlin hosted an Internationale Bauausstellung again. As a contrasting response to Interbau 1957, IBA 1984/87 focused on rediscovering and restoring the historic inner city, primarily destroyed by war and the Berlin Wall.
The plan was to rebuild and preserve the existing city as a living space in inner-city model sections of West Berlin. This critical architectural event shaped the city I live in today. And I love it.
As you can imagine, I will keep an eye open for any other movie and series that uses Berlin as a backdrop for its locations. Explore Berlin like never before – from the screen to the streets, discover the magic of ‘Berlin Netflix Filming Locations.’ You can come back here for any tips on that.
