Olivia Colman plays a lonely fisherwoman who orders a husband made of wicker, and Alexander Skarsgård is the basket. With its thatched cottages and village gossip, it looks like a fairy tale from old England. It isn’t. Wicker was made in Hungary, a country with no sea at all.
The good news for travelers: one of the studios behind the film sits in a wine village just outside Budapest, and you can walk through a medieval movie set there on a guided tour.
Wicker (2026) at a Glance (TL;DR)
- Where it was filmed: Hungary, with Budapest as the production base. The medieval backlots of Korda Studios (Etyek) and NFI Studios (Fót) were used, according to Budapest Reporter
- Is the village real? No. It’s a fictional village, created mostly on studio sets
- Filming dates: 2025
- Release date: US cinemas from October 23, 2026 (wider from October 30); UK cinemas October 30, 2026; Australia November 5, 2026 (Roadshow says this may move earlier)
- Directors and writers: Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer
- Based on: “The Wicker Husband,” a short story by Ursula Wills-Jones
- Cast: Olivia Colman (the Fisherwoman), Alexander Skarsgård (the Wicker Husband), Peter Dinklage (the Basket Weaver), Elizabeth Debicki, Richard E. Grant, Nabhaan Rizwan, Marli Siu
- Can you visit? The working studios are closed to the public, but Korda Filmpark at Korda Studios runs guided tours through a life-size medieval set town, about 29 km from Budapest
What Is Wicker About?
In a small medieval village with strict rules about who marries whom, a fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) is mocked for smelling of fish and for staying single. Half as a joke, she asks the local basket maker (Peter Dinklage) to weave her a husband. He does, the Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgård) comes to life, and his total devotion to her throws the whole judgmental village into chaos, as summarized on Wikipedia.
The film premiered at Sundance in January 2026, where Sundance’s own write-up called the set “visually stunning, otherworldly.” Early reviews have been warm too: it sat at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of release, per Wikipedia.
It even became a meme. In August, IKEA Australia posted a rattan bench with the caption “Made from husband material,” reported by TheWrap.
Where Was Wicker Filmed? Hungary, Not England
The story feels English. One reviewer at Moveable Fest describes thatched huts in an English-countryside village, with the fisherwoman’s home on a riverbank. But the production was based in Hungary.
Plans to film there were first reported in December 2024 by Budapest Reporter, and in January 2025 FilmNewEurope reported that the Hungarian shoot was planned for autumn 2025, with a local crew already in pre-production. Sundance notes the film was shot on location in Budapest, and WhereToWatch explains that the filmmakers built a fairy-tale world on studio sets instead of using a real coastal town.
So there is no real village to look for. The village itself was built for the camera. No source has yet named any outdoor spot (such as the river where the fisherwoman lives), so if one turns up after release, this post will be updated.
Korda Studios, Etyek
According to Budapest Reporter, Wicker used the medieval backlots of Korda Studios, a big studio complex in Etyek, a wine village west of Budapest. Locals nickname it “Etyekwood.”
Korda’s backlots are famous among period-drama fans. Its Medieval Village Set (about 12,000 m², with houses, a fortress wall and a central square) was built for the series World Without End, and the studio has also hosted Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Borgias and scenes from The Last Kingdom, per Wikipedia.
The sources don’t say exactly which Korda set became Wicker’s village, so treat any “this is the exact street” claim you see online with care.
Can you visit? Not the working studio. But Korda Filmpark, the studio’s visitor center, offers guided tours with a walk through a life-size medieval set town (details below).
NFI Studios, Fót
The second studio named by Budapest Reporter is NFI Studios in Fót, just northeast of Budapest. Run by Hungary’s National Film Institute, it opened four new studios in January 2025, and its outdoor sets include a “medieval and reformation-era city,” according to FilmNewEurope.
Can you visit? No. NFI Studios is a working production facility with no public tours.
Why Was Wicker Filmed in Hungary?
Money and readiness. Hungary offers a 30% film tax rebate (up to an effective 37.5% in some cases), and more than 80% of the production staff on international projects there are now Hungarian, according to The Location Guide. Add studios that keep medieval towns standing on their backlots, and a quirky fairy tale that needs a whole village has an easy home.
How to Visit Korda Filmpark: Walk Through a Medieval Movie Set
Korda Filmpark is the visitor side of Korda Studios. It is the closest you can get to the world of Wicker in real life, even though it isn’t confirmed to be the film’s exact set.
What you’ll see: The guided “film production experience” tour takes about 2.5 hours. It covers how international films are made, with interactive installations and film-effects displays, and then lets you walk and take photos in a life-size medieval set town, according to Korda Filmpark. The Székesfehérvár tourism office also mentions sets linked to Hellboy II and The Borgias.
Opening days and times: Wednesday to Sunday, with tours at 9:30, 12:00 and 14:30. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Visits are by guided tour only, and you must book ahead, per the Korda Filmpark contact page.
Tickets: Adult 4,700 HUF (about €13), student or senior 3,400 HUF, with family and group rates available. Booking online gives 10% off, per the official ticket page.
Language tip: Regular tours are in Hungarian. For an English-speaking guide, book a private tour in advance (49,000 HUF per group, about €135) by emailing jegy@kordafilmpark.hu. Split between a few friends, it’s still far cheaper than most organized day trips.
Good to know:
- The outdoor sets can close during filming or in extreme weather, so check before you go
- The recommended minimum age is 8
- Tour times can shift around filming and events
Address: Korda út, 2091 Etyek, Hungary
How to Get to Korda Filmpark from Budapest
Etyek is about 29 km from Budapest, so it’s under an hour by car.
- By car: Take the M1 motorway, exit at junction 16 toward Biatorbágy, then follow signs to Sóskút and Etyek
- By bus: Volánbusz runs buses to Etyek from Kelenföld railway station and Széna tér (timetables on menetrendek.hu)
- By train + bus: MÁV train to Biatorbágy, then a Volánbusz connection to Etyek
All routes are from the Korda Filmpark contact page.
Prefer not to plan it yourself? Organized day trips combine the Filmpark with wine tasting. One example is an 8-hour “Be a movie star!” tour with the Filmpark visit, a winery lunch with a 5-wine tasting and a movie-themed escape room in Budapest, listed at around €345 per person on alle.travel. Private “wines and movies” tours are also listed on Viator.
Make a Day of It: Etyek Wine Country
Here’s the fun part. “Etyekwood” sits in the middle of one of Hungary’s best-known wine areas, so a movie-set visit pairs naturally with a glass of something sparkling.
Rows of vines around a small house on a hillside vineyard in Hungary
What Etyek is known for: The Etyek-Buda wine region has around 1,600 hectares of vines and a cool, windy climate that’s often compared to Champagne. It’s best known for fresh, crisp whites and traditional-method sparkling wine, according to Wine With Seth and Glass of Bubbly.
Wineries to look up:
- Etyeki Kúria: a modern estate founded in 1996
- Haraszthy Winery: named after Ágoston Haraszthy, called “the father of California’s wine culture” by the winery’s own profile. A nice twist for a Hollywood-themed day out
- Hernyák Birtok: a small estate focused entirely on sparkling wine
Seasonal tip: The local winemakers’ association runs the popular Etyeki Picnic events in the vineyards, per Glass of Bubbly. Check dates before you travel.
Most wineries prefer bookings, so message ahead rather than just turning up.
A Simple “Wicker” Day Trip from Budapest
- Morning: Bus or drive to Etyek
- 9:30 or 12:00: Korda Filmpark guided tour and the medieval set town
- Lunch: A winery terrace in Etyek with a sparkling-wine tasting
- Afternoon: One more cellar visit, then back to Budapest
- Evening: A sunset walk along the Danube
The Hungarian Parliament Building on the banks of the Danube River in Budapest
When and Where to Watch Wicker
Wicker opens in selected US cinemas on October 23, 2026 and expands on October 30, released by Black Bear Pictures. UK cinemas follow on October 30, 2026. In Australia, Roadshow Films releases it on November 5, 2026, though Roadshow has said the date may move earlier (Wikipedia). No streaming date has been announced yet.
FAQ
Where was Wicker filmed?
Wicker was filmed in Hungary in 2025, with Budapest as the base. The production used medieval backlots at Korda Studios in Etyek and NFI Studios in Fót.
Was Wicker filmed in England?
No. The village looks English, but the production was based in Hungary and the village was built on studio sets there.
Is the village in Wicker a real place?
No. The village is fictional and was created for the film, so there’s no real village to visit.
Is Wicker related to The Wicker Man?
No. Wicker (2026) is a romantic fairy tale based on Ursula Wills-Jones’s “The Wicker Husband.” The Wicker Man is a 1973 folk-horror film directed by Robin Hardy and filmed in Scotland, mostly around Galloway, per Wikipedia.
Can you visit the Wicker filming locations?
The working studios are closed to the public. The closest experience is Korda Filmpark in Etyek, where guided tours include a walk through a life-size medieval set town.
How far is Korda Filmpark from Budapest?
About 29 km. You can drive there in under an hour or take a Volánbusz bus from Kelenföld or Széna tér.
Are Korda Filmpark tours in English?
Standard tours are in Hungarian. You can book a private English-language tour in advance for an extra group fee.
When does Wicker come out?
October 23, 2026 in selected US cinemas, October 30 in the UK, and November 5 in Australia.
