A horror film that depicts supernatural abilities and encounters, The Watchers, came to theaters on June 7, 2024. It marked the debut of a promising directorial career of Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of the celebrated filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan. The roots of this movie are from A. M. Shine’s 2021 novel of the same name.
The film flaunts a cast that includes Georgina Campbell, Dakota Fanning, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouéré. The film's plot revolves around a 28-year-old artist named Mina who gets stranded in the dense forests of Western Ireland and finds shelter with 3 strangers in a building called 'The Coop'. There she learns that the group is being watched by mysterious creatures at night.
Even though we saw some city locations and soundstages being used, the film took massive advantage of Ireland's ancient forests. The film features beautiful locations that are shot in mostly three Irish cities – Dublin, Wicklow, and Galway. The production and filming of The Watchers began in the summer of 2023 and then ended by September of that same year, utilizing Ireland's stunningly serene yet eerie landscape.
Irish cities in which The Watchers was filmed
1. Dublin, Ireland
The beginning of The Watchers was filmed primarily in different locations in Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The start of the film leans heavily towards urban locales, from crowded marketplaces to historic buildings and parks with greenery. It reflects a bright and bustling Irish culture.
Dublin is, however, not where most of its unforgettable jumpscare scenes were filmed. Nonetheless, the natural beauty of Dublin still managed to make a mark in The Watchers and enhance it aesthetically, by providing a stark contrast to what follows.
2) Wicklow, Ireland
The Watchers also included Wicklow, the so-called Garden of Ireland. It is visually stunning with immaculate landscapes, which include lush parks and dense forests that facilitate an ideal backdrop for a few of the film's more introspective/ creepier scenes.
The film has very competently shown the stunning beauty of Wicklow. The vast, expansive woodlands only added to the eerie feel of The Watchers. Some scenes were also filmed at the Ardmore Studios in Bray, Wicklow on a soundstage.
3) Galway, Ireland
Next up, we have the coastal city of Galway in The Watchers. The area's pristine nature made it a fitting choice as the backdrop to director Ishana Night Shyamalan's film.
Among The Watchers' many locations in Galway, iconic city streets such as Kirwan's Lane, Cross Street, and Quay Street were used to represent a few interior and exterior scenes. The scene where Mina jumps into the Jeep and drives off to the woods was filmed on Abbeygate Street Upper outside Electric Nightclub. Also, the pet shop where Mina buys her now-bewitched parrot is an old building on Shop Street that was Griffin's Bakery years ago.
How to watch The Watchers?
In the US, The Watchers can be streamed on major platforms like Peacock and Hulu. Users from other parts of the world such as the UK can find this film on Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
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