Light spoilers ahead for the first and second episodes of A Murder at the End of the World.
Summary
- A Murder at the End of the World was filmed in various locations, including Iceland, which contributes to the atmospheric and mysterious nature of the show.
- The Mysterious Bookshop in Tribeca serves as the setting for the show’s opening scene, creating a perfect backdrop for the character’s mysterious nature and the overall themes of the series.
- The remote retreat location in Iceland, inspired by Deplar Farm in the Fljot Valley, provides a truly off-the-grid and secluded setting for the billionaire’s mansion, although the exterior shots are CGI creations.
Hulu’s latest murder-mystery has viewers wondering where A Murder at the End of the World was filmed, especially given the series’ seemingly remote filming locations. Co-created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, who previously helmed the Netflix cult classic The OA, the psychological thriller drama centers on Emma Corrin’s Darby Hart, an amateur detective, talented hacker, and true-crime writer. Along with eight other guests, Darby is invited to the remote home of withdrawn billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen). While the beautiful Icelandic setting stuns, it also serves as the backdrop to a potential murder — or so Darby thinks.
One of the guests happens to be Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson), Darby’s former sleuthing partner. Before the events chronicled in A Murder at the End of the World, Darby and Bill tried to solve the murders of several women — a story Darby chronicles in The Silver Doe. While piecing together Bill and Darby’s past is a key intrigue, a more urgent tragedy strikes: Bill dies — and Darby is convinced Bill’s been murdered. Using her talents, Darby tries to solve the case before someone else is killed. The series is infused with Marling and Batmanglij’s signature offbeat sensibilities, which themselves are augmented by the show’s unique, atmospheric filming locations.
Tribeca, New York City
The Mysterious Bookshop
A real-life bookstore nestled in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood, The Mysterious Bookshop is where Corrin’s Darby reads from The Silver Doe in the show’s opening scene. The shop touts itself as the “oldest mystery specialist book store in America,” and that lived-in feel is perfect for the scene at hand. In A Murder at the End of the World‘s opening, a hooded Darby waits in the shadows of towering bookshelves, surrounded by detective fiction and paperback thrillers, all of which underscore the show’s themes as well as the character’s mysterious nature.
Hanksville & Green River, Utah
The Whispering Sands Motel & Ray’s Tavern
Seen in the show’s first episode, The Whispering Sands Motel and nearby Ray’s Tavern are located in Hanksville and Green River, Utah, respectively. Located near the state’s Goblin Valley State Park, Whispering Sands figures into Darby and Bill’s serial killer tracking backstory. Later, as the pair drive around to Annie Lenox, they cross the Beehive State’s Green River Bridge. With their long stretches of road and distant mountains, the Utah towns immediately conjure up the right atmosphere for Darby and Bill’s murder-case sleuthing. Additionally, the bar where Darby and Bill first meet in person is Ray’s Tavern — a real watering hole in Green River, Utah (via Production List).
Newark, New Jersey
Darby’s Warehouse Apartment
After her reading at The Mysterious Bookshop, Darby heads home. The apartment in question seems appropriate for the hacker-turned-writer: it’s an old, brick warehouse that’s been converted into studio apartments. Located at 407 Mulberry Street in Newark, New Jersey, the apartment building provides the perfect mix of noir aesthetics — all shadows, alleys, and emptiness. While it’s likely that the interior of Darby’s apartment was recreated on a soundstage (or elsewhere), the miniseries does a great job of using establishing shots of Newark to ground the character’s life in a believable way.
Readington, New Jersey
Darby’s Childhood Home & The Hart’s Farm
In A Murder at the End of the World‘s episode 2, “The Silver Doe,” viewers get a glimpse into Darby’s childhood as well as her relationship with her father (Neal Huff). According to a local paper, the series — which was then called Retreat — was filmed in part at the Readington River Buffalo Farm (via My Central Jersey). While a location hasn’t been specified for Darby’s childhood home, it’s likely near the New Jersey township. The site of some second-episode flashback scenes, the Garden State locations weren’t a huge part of the production, with the show’s team spending just three days at the aforementioned farm.
Iceland
Darby & The Guests Cross The Kolgrafafjordur Sword Bridge
Murder at the End of the World‘s retreat guests head to Iceland after accepting Andy’s invitation and, as viewers can probably tell from the country’s singular landscapes, the production was shot on location, with only a few exceptions. When the group first arrives, their fleet of cars travel across the iconic Kolgrafafjordur Sword Bridge, which is located on the western Snæfellsnesvegur peninsula (via Vanity Fair). When the cars are careening around a mountain pass in the next scene, the show jumps to Múlagöng tunnel — an area that’s far from the Sword Bridge, but closer to the supposed location of Andy’s remote home.
Rockaway, New Jersey
Darby’s Hometown
While the location of Darby’s family home hasn’t been confirmed by any sources, it’s clear that the show’s team filmed on location in New Jersey for most of the key flashback sequences in A Murder at the End of the World. The second episode scene where Darby rides her bike down an empty street and down some train tracks is no different. As Darby walks her bike down the tracks in the dark, viewers can catch a glimpse of Mill Lane Tavern, which is a family-owned bar and restaurant in Rockaway, New Jersey.
Iceland’s Fljot Valley Hotel
The Billionaire’s Remote Retreat Is Actually Deplar Farm
Finally, Andy’s remote retreat was based off of a real-life hotel located in the Fljot Valley — a barren, secluded stretch of northern Iceland. One of the most remarkable lodges in the world, Deplar Farm is a truly off-the-grid hotel located on the Troll Peninsula. The pricey, one-of-a-kind lodge offers everything from heli-skiing to geothermal pools to enchanting views of the Aurora Borealis. While Deplar Farm inspired the location of Andy’s retreat, the exterior shots of the circular Icelandic mansion are CGI creations in FX’s A Murder at the End of the World.
New episodes of the seven-part miniseries premiere on Tuesdays on Hulu; the finale of A Murder at the End of the World will be available to stream on December 19, 2023.
Sources: Production List, My Central Jersey, Vanity Fair Deplar Farm
