In depth · Film
Sydney on film: from The Matrix to Muriel’s Wedding
Sydney has played itself, and stood in for other cities, in films seen around the world: its harbour, its towers and its beaches. Eight films to watch before you go, with trailers only from the studios’ and distributors’ own channels.
Updated November 2026
The Matrix (1999)
The Wachowskis’ science-fiction film was shot in Sydney, its city streets and rooftops standing in for an unnamed American city.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
John Woo’s sequel was filmed in and around Sydney.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Pixar’s animated fish crosses the ocean to find his son in a dentist’s aquarium overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Muriel’s Wedding (1994)
P. J. Hogan’s comedy follows Muriel from a coastal town to a new life in Sydney.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Stephan Elliott’s road film sets out from Sydney for the desert.
The Great Gatsby (2013)
Baz Luhrmann’s Long Island of the 1920s was made in Sydney.
Anyone But You (2023)
Will Gluck’s romantic comedy sends its couple to a destination wedding in Sydney, with the harbour, the Opera House and the Bridge as its backdrop.
The Fall Guy (2024)
David Leitch’s action comedy about a stuntman was filmed in Sydney.
Questions and answers
Which films were made in Sydney?
Among them The Matrix (1999), Mission: Impossible II (2000), The Great Gatsby (2013) and The Fall Guy (2024); Finding Nemo (2003) and Anyone But You (2023) are set there.