Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The story is set during the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation in northern France, and unusually for a modern blockbuster, it was filmed primarily at those authentic real-world locations in Dunkirk itself. Nolan's team supplemented the French sites with Dorset in the UK, the IJsselmeer in the Netherlands, and California in the USA, choosing each for practicality and control over conditions, while keeping the historical geography intact on screen.
The Studio Side
Studio work took place at Warner Bros. Burbank Studios in Burbank, USA, which visitors can see on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and at Universal Pictures Falls Lake in Universal City, USA, which is not open for visits. The production combined these sound stages and tanks with over 50 real historic boats, including 20 actual Little Ships of Dunkirk, and shot about 75% of the film in IMAX 65mm large format. A real French destroyer was even towed out to sea off France for the torpedo scenes before the action moved to studio tanks.
Tours That Visit These Locations
Most of the Dunkirk locations are public streets, beaches, and parks that need no booking. The main bookable experience tied to the film is the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Los Angeles, which includes Stage 16, one of the sound stages where the film's tank and boat sequences were shot.
LA Studio Tour, Stage 16 Stop
Los Angeles: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
This Los Angeles studio tour passes Stage 16, the cavernous sound stage where Dunkirk's water sequences were built, alongside sets from many other Warner films.
★ 4.6 out of 5 · 8,721 reviewsLos Angeles
Hollywood Backlot Tour
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
A Hollywood backlot tour that includes Stage 16 among its stops, putting visitors inside the actual Burbank facility where Dunkirk's tank work was filmed.
★ 4.6 out of 5 · 5,668 reviewsLos Angeles
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Dunkirk filmed at the real Dunkirk?
Yes. The production shot extensively on location in Dunkerque, France, including Plage de Malo-les-Bains, the East Mole, and surrounding streets and dunes. Filming even coincided with the dates of the real 1940 evacuation to match tides and conditions.
Can you visit the beach from the film?
Yes, Plage de Malo-les-Bains is a public beach with free access, and it still closely resembles its 1940 appearance. The Dunkerque tourism office provides information for visitors wanting to find the exact filming stretches.
What was the wooden pier seen in the film?
The production built a temporary 900-foot wooden superstructure on the Jetée de Malo, the historic East Mole. Weather repeatedly destroyed it during filming, and it was removed entirely once shooting wrapped, so visitors today see the original jetty.
Which English locations were used?
Weymouth Harbour's Custom House Quay in Dorset stood in for the civilian boat departure and newspaper office scenes, and Swanage Railway Station in Dorset was used for the train journey back to London. The harbour is free to visit, while the heritage railway requires a ticket.
Were any real Dunkirk boats used in the film?
Yes. Over 50 real historic boats took part, including 20 actual Little Ships of Dunkirk that had served in the 1940 evacuation, used alongside studio tanks at the Burbank sound stages.
Can you visit the studios where Dunkirk was filmed?
Warner Bros. Burbank Studios can be visited on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, which includes Stage 16. Universal Pictures Falls Lake in Universal City is not open to visitors.
Dunkirk stands out among location-shot films because its key sites really are the places where history happened, and nearly all of them remain free and open to anyone. A trip to Dunkerque covers the beach, the mole, and the streets of Malo-les-Bains on foot, while Dorset, Urk, and Rancho Palos Verdes add surprising footnotes. For the indoor side of the production, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Los Angeles offers the closest look at where the tanks and boats came together.
