15 Movies Filmed in Turkey
Turkey is a land where continents collide, and history whispers from every stone. It’s a country of dramatic coastlines, otherworldly landscapes, and bustling, ancient cities. While millions of tourists flock to its mosques, bazaars, and beaches each year, another group of pilgrims has long been drawn to its shores: Hollywood directors and international filmmakers.
The visual splendor and unique atmosphere of Turkey have provided a stunning backdrop for everything from pulse-pounding spy thrillers to poignant historical dramas. Let's pull back the curtain on 15 films that have used Turkey’s magic to tell their stories, taking a cinematic journey from the bazaars of Istanbul to the travertine terraces of Pamukkale.
Beyond the Postcard: 15 Movies That Capture the Cinematic Soul of Turkey
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)
Special agent Orson Fortune and his team of operatives recruit one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars to help them on an undercover mission when the sale of a deadly new weapons technology threatens to disrupt the world order.
The Scene A globetrotting heist with a stop in a glamorous coastal city.
The Turkish Backdrop This recent Guy Ritchie caper continues the tradition, using the stunning coastal city of Antalya as a backdrop for its sun-soaked espionage. The modern marina, luxury hotels, and the dramatic cliffs of the Turquoise Coast provide a fresh, opulent look at Turkey, far from the ancient stones of Istanbul.
View the trailer of Operation Fortune
Inferno (2016)
Based on Dan Brown's novel, this thriller follows Professor Robert Langdon as he navigates Istanbul to prevent a global pandemic. Key scenes include the Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, highlighting the city's rich history.
The Scene Robert Langdon’s quest leads him to the subterranean wonders of Istanbul.
The Turkish Backdrop The third film in the Dan Brown series sees Tom Hanks' Langdon racing through Istanbul to stop a global pandemic. The film makes spectacular use of the city’s Byzantine and Ottoman history. Key scenes were filmed in the breathtaking Basilica Cistern, with its forest of ancient columns, and the iconic Hagia Sophia, both serving as perfect, puzzle-laden locations for a story steeped in history and conspiracy.
The Water Diviner (2014)
Starring Russell Crowe, this film takes place in the aftermath of World War I in Turkey, where a father searches for his sons who went missing during the Gallipoli campaign.
The Scene An Australian father searches for his sons' graves in post-WWI Gallipoli.
The Turkish Backdrop Russell Crowe’s directorial debut beautifully bookends Peter Weir’s *Gallipoli*. The film tells the story of an Australian man who travels to Turkey in 1919 to find the remains of his three sons. It was shot on location in Istanbul, the Gallipoli peninsula, and Cappadocia. The film offers a poignant and respectful portrayal of Turkish people and their shared grief, showcasing both the haunting beauty of the battlefields and the stunning landscapes of Cappadocia.
View the trailer of The Water Diviner
The Two Faces of January (2014)
A thriller that partly unfolds in Istanbul, where a couple is entangled in a crime after a detective is murdered.
The Scene American con artists on the run through ancient ruins.
The Turkish Backdrop Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, this stylish thriller is a tour of 1960s Aegean Turkey. The film was shot on location in Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar, but its most striking sequences take place among the ancient ruins of the Agora in Izmir and most notably, at the Temple of Apollo in Didim. The sun-bleached marble and crumbling columns provide a decadent and morally ambiguous playground for its flawed characters.
View the trailer of Two Faces Of January
Skyfall (2012)
Another James Bond film that features Istanbul, particularly in dramatic chase sequences.
The Scene The stunning pre-credit sequence involving a motorcycle chase across the rooftops.
The Turkish Backdrop While the film presents it as a generic "Turkish" city, the breathtaking opening of Sam Mendes’ Bond film was shot in Istanbul’s Eminönü and Grand Bazaar districts. The chase, which progresses from a car to a motorcycle on the roof of the Spice Bazaar and culminates in a fistfight on top of a moving train, is one of the most dynamic and beautifully shot action sequences ever set in the city. It reaffirmed Istanbul’s status as a premier location for blockbuster espionage.
Taken 2 (2012)
Istanbul plays a major role in the action of this film, where Liam Neeson’s character faces personal revenge.
The Scene Liam Neeson is, once again, taken (along with his wife), this time in Istanbul.
The Turkish Backdrop The entire film is a frantic tour of Istanbul’s less-glamorous underbelly. From being kidnapped in a luxury hotel to a dramatic car chase through the steep, narrow streets leading up to the Galata Tower, the film uses the city’s geography to heighten the action. The finale, set in a dusty car garage, reinforces the city's role as a gritty, dangerous transit point between Europe and Asia.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Istanbul is featured prominently in this Cold War spy thriller, capturing the city's mix of East and West.
The Scene A flashback to a tense, fatal meeting between agents.
The Turkish Backdrop Tomas Alfredson’s atmospheric Cold War masterpiece uses Istanbul to perfection. In a key flashback, agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) meets his Turkish counterpart in the shadow of the Haydarpaşa Railway Station on the Asian shore of Istanbul. The scene, with its haunting, melancholic score and muted colors, captures the loneliness and paranoia of espionage, using the city’s strategic geographical position to underscore its role as a stage for intelligence games.
View the trailer of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The International (2009)
This thriller follows two agents investigating a powerful bank involved in arms trafficking and money laundering, with significant scenes shot in Istanbul.
The Scene The legendary, show-stopping shootout inside the Guggenheim Museum.
The Turkish Backdrop Wait, the Guggenheim is in New York! True, but the film’s globe-trotting narrative takes Clive Owen and Naomi Watts to Istanbul for a crucial sequence. The finale, a tense foot chase and confrontation, takes place on the roofs and in the streets of the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. The maze-like corridors and vibrant energy of the bazaar create a perfect setting for a cat-and-mouse thriller.
View the trailer of The International
Hitman (2007)
Based on the video game series, this action film features an assassin who gets entangled in a political conspiracy while navigating through Istanbul.
The Scene A high-octane shootout and chase sequence.
The Turkish Backdrop This video game adaptation, starring Timothy Olyphant, used Istanbul as a stand-in for a generic Eastern European location. Key action scenes were filmed around the Sirkeci and Eminönü districts, with the iconic Galata Bridge and the bustling streets providing a chaotic and visually compelling backdrop for the assassin’s escapades.
A Touch of Spice (2003)
A Greek film partially set in Istanbul, dealing with themes of culture, food, and memory.
The Scene Flashbacks to a childhood in the vibrant Greek community of 1960s Istanbul.
The Turkish Backdrop A beautiful and melancholic Greek film, *Politiki Kouzina* (its original title), is a culinary journey through memory and exile. It fondly remembers the multicultural Istanbul of the past, where Greeks, Turks, Armenians, and Jews lived side-by-side. The film’s most evocative scenes are those set in the bustling streets and markets of Istanbul, where the young protagonist learns from his grandfather that both food and life need a "touch of spice."
View the trailer of A Touch Of Spice
Hamam: The Turkish Bath (1997)
An Italian drama that revolves around a couple who inherit a traditional Turkish bath in Istanbul, exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage.
The Scene The protagonist’s gradual immersion into the life of a traditional Istanbul neighborhood.
The Turkish Backdrop This Italian-Turkish-Spanish co-production is perhaps the most intimate film on this list. It tells the story of a man from Rome who inherits a hamam (Turkish bath) in Istanbul. The film is a sensual exploration of the city, using the hamam as a metaphor for cultural and personal transformation. It captures a side of Istanbul far from the tourist trail, focusing on the dusty, sunlit backstreets and the warm, communal life within them.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Some iconic scenes from this adventure film were shot in Turkey, particularly in Cappadocia.
The Scene The thrilling opening sequence with the "Cross of Coronado."
The Turkish Backdrop The film’s prologue, set in 1912, was filmed not in Turkey but in Spain. However, the narrative places Turkey at the center of Indy’s quest. The map clearly shows his journey heading towards "Islak," a fictional stand-in for the real-life İskenderun, on the Turkish-Syrian border. The final resting place of the Holy Grail is in the "Canyon of the Crescent Moon," filmed in Petra, Jordan, but the film’s lore firmly places the journey through the heart of the Republic of Turkey, continuing the franchise's tradition of using the region for ancient mysteries.
View the trailer of Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Gallipoli (1981)
This film focuses on the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I, with much of the action taking place in the region of Canakkale.
The Scene The tragic final charge at the Battle of the Nek.
The Turkish Backdrop Peter Weir’s masterpiece, starring a young Mel Gibson, tells the story of two Australian sprinters who enlist and fight in the Gallipoli campaign of World War I. The film was shot on location in South Australia and Egypt, but its historical heart is in the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. The film poignantly captures the futility and tragedy of the campaign, fostering a deep sense of respect for the Turkish soldiers, the "Mehmetçiks," who defended their homeland. It was instrumental in shaping the modern bond of mutual respect between Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey.
Midnight Express (1978)
Set in Istanbul, this film tells the true story of an American caught smuggling drugs and thrown into a Turkish prison.
The Scene The harrowing prison sequences and the chaotic streets of Istanbul.
The Turkish Backdrop A stark and brutal contrast to the glamour of *Topkapi*, Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning screenplay tells the true story of Billy Hayes, an American student imprisoned for drug smuggling. The film was controversially shot in Malta, but its entire narrative soul is tethered to a terrifying vision of 1970s Turkey. It created a powerful, if deeply negative, image of the country's justice system that lingered for decades in the Western consciousness.
View the trailer of Midnight Express
Topkapi (1964)
A heist film about a group planning to steal a priceless jeweled dagger from the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The film showcases various iconic locations throughout the city.
The Scene The entire heist revolves around the Topkapi Palace Museum itself.
The Turkish Backdrop This classic heist film, a major influence on the *Mission: Impossible* franchise, is a love letter to Istanbul. The plot centers on stealing a jewel-encrusted dagger from the opulent Topkapi Palace. The film luxuriates in the city’s sights, from the bustling streets of the old city to the stunning interiors of the palace. It won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Peter Ustinov) and showcases a glamorous, sun-drenched Istanbul of the 1960s.
From Russia with Love (1963)
This James Bond classic features Istanbul as a key location, with the famous Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus Strait making appearances.
The Scene The iconic finale aboard the Orient Express, racing from Istanbul towards the Yugoslav border.
The Turkish Backdrop While much of the "Istanbul" filming was done with sets in England, the film opens with a thrilling helicopter shot of the city, establishing its exotic and dangerous allure for a Cold War spy thriller. The Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus are prominently featured, setting a standard for using Istanbul as the ultimate espionage playground. James Bond’s mission, sparked by a Russian defector in Istanbul, cemented the city's reputation in popular culture as a shadowy crossroads of East and West.
View the trailer of From Russia With Love
The Final Reel
From the intrigue of the Cold War to the echoes of ancient battles, Turkey’s diverse landscapes and rich history offer a filmmaker a palette like no other. These 15 films are just a glimpse into how this unique country has been framed, fictionalized, and celebrated on the silver screen. The next time you watch a movie and see a familiar minaret or a surreal landscape, you might just be looking at the enduring, cinematic soul of Turkey.
Enjoy the films that set in Turkey!
Turkish Language Materials
