Poor Things is anything but.
First winning big at the Venice International Film Festival and then at the Oscars, the dark-comedy starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Willem Dafoe is a must-watch. Based on the novel of the same name, the film follows the adventures of Bella Baxter as she wanders the world on a hedonistic holiday.
And did we mention she is a reanimated corpse?
Here’s everything you need to know about the Poor Things movie, including where it was and wasn’t filmed and how you can visit the filming locations by train.
Image Credit: Searchlight Pictures
Where was Poor Things filmed?
Poor Things was primarily filmed at Origo Studios in Budapest, Hungary. Origo Studios has helped get over 50 major productions to the screen, including Inferno, Dune, Blade Runner 2049, The Witcher, Moon Knight, and 47 Ronin.
Budapest, Hungary
Main station: Budapest-Keleti
Get there: from Vienna (Wien Hbf) station in as little as 2h 23m with a direct train ride.
A vast majority of Poor Things filming locations are in Budapest, but good luck trying to get a glimpse of them. Production used Origo Studios and Korda Studio to construct the sets across more than a dozen soundstages. It’s both a beauty and a bummer: the controlled, curated faux environments yielded an amazing aesthetic that was much more fantastical than real life could be.
As for filming locations for Poor Things outside of the studios, the forests around Budapest, a crypt beneath a Budapest church, an old TV station near the Hungarian Parliament, and Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library were used.
Poor Things sees Bella Baxter globetrot a bit, but Emma Stone didn’t visit any of the cities depicted in the film. Instead, the same movie studios in Budapest were used to recreate the following locations.
Lisbon, Portugal
Main station: Lisboa Santa Apolónia
Get there: from Porto São Bento station in 3h 10 min by train.
We lament that the real Lisbon wasn’t featured in Poor Things. The crew went to Budapest’s Korda Studio, the largest sound stage in Europe, and built the city themselves.
Paris, France
Main station: Gare du Nord
Get there: from London St Pancras International station in in as little as 2h 17m on the Eurostar.
Good luck finding the brothel in the Paris of Poor Things: all of the French filming locations were created and shot at the Budapest studios.
Glasgow, Scotland
Main station: Glasgow Central
Get there: from Edinburgh (Waverley) station in just 44m with a direct train ride.
Anyone who’s read the book looked forward to seeing Glasgow on the big screen. Unfortunately, the Glasgow setting within the pages was relocated to London for much of the film, but Scotland’s second city is still worth your time.
London, UK
Main station: Several, including St Pancras International, Paddington, King’s Cross, Euston, Waterloo, Victoria, London Liverpool Street
Get there: from Heathrow Airport to Paddington station via the Heathrow Express in as little as 15m with a direct train ride.
London and the Baxter House? Not only did the filmmakers reset the actual setting of Poor Things from Glasgow to London, but they didn’t even film in London. All afternoon tea sessions were sipped within Hungarian borders.
Image Credit: Searchlight Pictures
Everything you need to know about Poor Things
Willem Dafoe as a Victor Frankenstein-like character that reanimates a dead Emma Stone? Count us in. Here’s everything you need to know about the Poor Things movie.
What is Poor Things loosely based on?
Poor Things the film is loosely based on a novel called Poor Things written by Alasdair Gray in 1992. Like so many page-to-picture scenarios, the film isn’t a word-by-word recreation on the silver screen.
What is the theme of Poor Things by Alasdair Gray?
An overarching theme of the Poor Things novel is independence and equality, liberally dipped in satire of classic Victorian novels. The character of Bella, “built” for purpose by a scientist, abandons her duties to her creator and instead travels the world in a pursuit of pleasure.
Is Poor Things a Frankenstein movie?
While Poor Things is not a film based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (nor Lugosi’s, De Niro’s, or Sting’s), the classic horror story is obviously an inspiration. We like to think of it as a modern reimagining of a legendary piece of literature.
Who is in Poor Things?
Poor Things stars Emma Stone as Bella Baxter, Willem Dafoe as Dr. Goodwin Baxter, Mark Ruffalo as Duncan Wedderburn, and Ramy Youssef as Max McCandles.
Image Credit: Searchlight Pictures
Poor Things reception at the Venice International Film Festival
Poor Things premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival and won the Golden Lion award. Winners of the festival often go on to receive other awards throughout the year, including Oscars – and Poor Things was no different.
Most travelers who visit Venice could write a script with all of the memories they make. Use Italy’s amazing rail network to roll into Venezia Santa Lucia station and see the Grand Canal with your own eyes.
How many Oscars did Poor Things win?
Poor Things was nominated for 11 Oscars and left the Academy Awards with four. Emma Stone took home Best Actress, her second Oscar after winning for La La Land in 2017. The film also received Oscars for Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Costume Design.
Who directed Poor Things?
Poor Things was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who also directed The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and The Favourite. Lanthimos teamed up with Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe again for 2024’s Kinds of Kindness.
How much has Poor Things made?
Poor Things has raked in over $100 million at the global box office. With a budget of $35 million, the film surprised even its most fervent supporters with such a haul.
Who designed the sets for Poor Things?
Shona Heath and James Price worked with director Yorgos Lanthimos to create the surreal world of Poor Things. Nearly all of the film was built on a soundstage in Budapest; the trio and a team of talented production designers brought multiple European cities to life and deservedly earned an Oscar for Best Production Design.
Image Credit: Searchlight Pictures
Who designed the costumes for Poor Things?
The lead costume designer for Poor Things was Holly Waddington. The British costume designer has worked on The Great, Lady Macbeth, Lincoln, Clash of the Titans, and War Horse. Waddington’s talents helped Poor Things win an Oscar for Best Costume Design.
Are the sets in Poor Things real?
Most of what you see in Poor Things is a real constructed set. Some sets, like Lisbon, were so expansive, they felt like real places. Others, like the ocean liner, were miniatures or scaled-down models used for specific shots. The sky, however, was the product of LED screens.
Is Godwin's house in Poor Things real?
No, unfortunately, you cannot visit Godwin’s house in Poor Things – at least, not fully. The exterior was a small-scale model; the interior, however, was filmed at the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library in Budapest, which is within Wenckheim Palace and is open to the public.
What is the Irish connection with Poor Things?
Poor Things may not have gone to Dublin, but part of Dublin came to the set. Element Pictures is a Dublin-based production company that also has Normal People, The Wonder, and Shadow Dancer on its resume.
Image Credit: Searchlight Pictures
How to travel Europe like Bella Baxter (by train)
Just because Emma Stone didn’t wander around the world doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Be like Bella Baxter and embark on a journey through Europe by train.
You can travel from London to Paris with ease by train thanks to the rail lines running beneath the English Channel. From there, Paris to Lisbon is an adventure in itself as you ride the rails from Paris to Madrid, Madrid to Porto, and finally, Porto to Lisbon.
Download the Trainline app and start stitching together your train journey one leg at a time.
Header Image Credit: Searchlight Pictures