Where Was We Bury the Dead Filmed? Complete Guide to All Filming Locations

We Bury the Dead is a survival thriller that explores themes of grief and survival in a post-apocalyptic world. The story centers on Ava Newman, played by Daisy Ridley, a woman searching for her missing husband after a catastrophic military experiment unleashes chaos. She joins a body retrieval unit to locate him, only to discover that the corpses they bury begin to show signs of life, turning a routine mission into a desperate fight against the undead.

This movie, directed by Zak Hilditch, combines horror and a deeper meaning, with the leading actors being Brenton Thwaites, playing the character of Clay, and Mark Coles Smith, playing the character of Riley. The production also features the natural wonder of the landscapes in Western Australia, which are a stunning and eerie setting for the horror that will be experienced. This film premiered at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in March 2025. It was released in the US on January 2, 2026, under Vertical Entertainment.

As of early 2026, it is available for theatrical viewing in major cities, with tickets accessible through platforms like Fandango. Streaming options are not yet confirmed, but it is expected to appear on services such as Apple TV or other digital rentals soon after its cinema run. For international audiences, check local listings via Umbrella Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand.

We Bury the Dead: Filming Locations

1) Albany, Western Australia

One of the main filming locations for We Bury the Dead was the coastal city of Albany in the Great Southern area of Western Australia. Principal filming for the movie began at this location on the 19th of February 2024 and went on for a period of a few weeks to capture the rich history and the natural topography of the area. The production team chose this location for the shoot as it represented their ‘dream locations,’ which caused minimal traffic congestion during filming.

The local streets and residential areas turned into post-disaster zones with crew members barricading some sections to capture footage of the retrieval activities. The granite hills and historical buildings in the city made up the realistic settings of Ava’s journey. Community engagement was an important factor, as the residents were given access to their homes to take interior scenes that involved family life before the disaster. Albany’s contribution did not end at shooting the scenes, as the movie production pumped $9.3 million into the community.

Fans visiting today can walk the same paths, noting how the city’s quiet harbors mirror the film’s early calm before the horror erupts. This location anchors the narrative’s emotional core, grounding the supernatural elements in a real, tangible place.

2) Middleton Beach shown in We Bury the Dead

Middleton Beach, located just four kilometers from Albany’s city center, was a crucial outdoor site for We Bury the Dead. Accessible via Middleton Road, this sandy stretch hosted key sequences involving military search and retrieval amid the film’s undead threat. The beach’s wide expanse and gentle waves allowed for dynamic wide shots of characters navigating debris-strewn shores, symbolizing the boundary between life and the unknown.

Filming here took advantage of the natural light and isolation, with crews setting up early mornings to capture dawn patrols that heighten the story’s suspense. The location’s proximity to Albany enabled quick transitions between beach and urban scenes, streamlining the five-week shoot. Local authorities supported the production by managing public access, ensuring safety during action sequences with vehicles and extras.

Middleton Beach’s role underscores the film’s use of Western Australia’s coastline to evoke vulnerability, vast oceans contrasting with the characters’ confined desperation. Visitors can still see the boardwalks and dunes used, offering a serene contrast to the on-screen chaos. This spot highlights how everyday Australian beaches became stages for global horror.

3) We Bury the Dead: Albany City Streets and landmarks

Several streets in central Albany, including York Street, Parade Street, and Festing Street, were closed for filming in We Bury the Dead. These areas featured in street-level scenes of evacuation and encounters, with the production recreating a fallen society through barricades and practical effects. York Street, near the historic waterfront, hosted pedestrian chases and quiet moments of reflection, its colonial architecture adding layers of faded normalcy.

Parade and Festing Streets provided narrower alleys for intimate confrontations, emphasizing the film’s focus on personal loss amid widespread ruin. The Sugar Boy candy store, found at 164 York Street, operated as a striking landmark, utilized in behind-the-scenes scenarios and a few interactions at storefronts reflecting a pre-apocalyptic lifestyle. The teams collaborated effectively with residents to disrupt as few activities as possible, encompassing building exterior wraps in late February 2024.

These neighborhoods reflected the life imbued with a sense of wonder, with wet streets adding optimally to a thriller atmosphere, so vibrant and popular today, supporting shopping and restaurants for fans, enabling a walk through of this historic and modern city of Albany.

4) Marine Drive and Great Southern surrounds

Marine Drive, a scenic route along Albany’s coastline, contributed coastal and transitional shots to We Bury the Dead. This winding road overlooked cliffs and inlets, ideal for vehicle pursuits and overlooking vistas that convey the scale of the military disaster. Filming here integrated the Great Southern region’s diverse terrain, including nearby farmlands and forests for rural retrieval scenes, broadening the film’s visual scope beyond the city. Maitraya, a quieter nearby area, supported additional exterior work, drawing on its open spaces for group dynamics.

The production spanned the broader Great Southern from mid-February to March 26, 2024, utilizing the area’s granite outcrops and wildflowers for atmospheric depth without heavy alterations. This choice supported the WA Regional Screen Fund goals, boosting local jobs in a 1,034-square-kilometer zone. Marine Drive’s elevated views now offer moviegoers panoramic photo ops, evoking the characters’ fleeting hope against encroaching dread.

Stay tuned for more updates on We Bury the Dead.

Also Read: Murderbot Filming Locations: Exploring the Show’s Real-World Settings

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Hilfa Khan

Hilfa, Senior Writer at Hilvaro, excels in pop culture journalism. She crafts engaging content on movies, TV, & trends, fueled by her love for storytelling & entertainment.