The settings of Netflix's latest thriller movie, Don't Move, may look familiar to some.
During the Summer of 2023, Don't Move was filmed mostly in Sofia, Bulgaria, and neighboring areas of the Southeastern European nation, as well as some minor scenes in Monterey County, California.
Here are all the specific locations featured in the 2024 thriller:
Where Was Netflix's Don't Move Movie Filmed?
Seaside, California
- Coordinates: 36°37'42.5388", -121°50'05.4888"
One of the first locations viewers will see in Don't Move is Iris' house, which is situated on an affluent suburban street.
The real location for Iris' home is actually in Seaside, California, specifically right near Sea Ridge Ct. The house is located within the picturesque Monterey Bay, and, as the name suggests, it is in close proximity to the ocean.
Don't Move does not spend long in Iris' home as the story is mostly set in the wilderness.
Bixby Creek Bridge - Monterey, California
- Coordinates: 36°22'12.1598", -121°54'06.5223"
Another location featured in Don't Move that viewers may recognize is the Bixby Creek Bridge in Monterey, California. The arch bridge is very famous thanks to its stunning architecture, which is situated right on the Californian coastline.
Multiple film and TV projects have used the Bixby Creek Bridge over the years, with perhaps the most notable being Big Little Lies (which may return to the location in its upcoming Season 3).
In Don't Move, the bridge is seen briefly on Iris' coastal drive at the beginning of the film.
*Massey Bi Sur State Park (Fictional Location Shot In Bulgaria)
Iris reaches her location at the start of Don't Move when she pulls up at a sign that reads Massey Bi Sur State Park. This specific park is a fictional location for the movie and is the park in which Iris' son tragically died while on a family hiking trip.
The park is intended to resemble Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (whose coordinates are 36°09'31.9883", -121°31'36.3935"), a stunning wilderness landscape set along the Big Sur River that has gained a reputation for being a "mini Yosemite." The location of the real park is in Monterey County, California, close to the filming location of Iris' house.
Zlatnite Mostove, Bulgaria
- Coordinates: 42°36'15.7385", 023°15'08.8117"
While most of Don't Move's locations are designed to replicate the Californian wilderness, the vast majority of the filming actually took place on the opposite side of the world in Bulgaria.
One such location is the river of boulders that Iris crosses on her trek to reach Mateo's resting place.
In reality, this location is Zlatnite Mostove in Sofia City Province in Bulgaria and is known for being the largest stone river on Vitosha Mountain at around 2.2km.
Belogradchik Fortress, Bulgaria
- Coordinates: 43°37'15.0"N 22°41'06.0"E
After quite a journey, Iris reaches her destination at the top of the mountain, where her son's tribute is located. It's atop this mountain that Iris also runs into Richard (Wittrock) and bonds with him (before learning he is actually a serial killer).
This picturesque location is another instance of Don't Move filming in Bulgaria. Belogradchik Fortress was used as the spot for Mateo's memorial, which is a historical tourist attraction located in Vidin Province in Bulgaria. The fortress spans almost 110,000 feet in total.
Sofia, Bulgaria
The majority of Don't Move takes place in remote wilderness locations, as Richard attempts to transport the paralyzed Iris from her hiking spot in the park to his remote cabin.
Sofia in Bulgaria was home to the scenery seen in most of these wilderness shots. Don't Move Co-directors Adam Schindler and Brian Netto posted regularly about the vivid locations they used in and around Bulgaria for the film, which included sprawling lakes and forest-covered mountains.
Bulgaria has become something of a hotspot for Hollywood movies in recent years, with movies like The Expendables and Barbarian choosing to take advantage of the country's scenery. Now, thanks to Don't Move, it's been proven Bulgaria can double as the wilds of California as well.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Sam Raimi is the producer behind the new Netflix movie, which stars Kelsey Asbille in the lead as Iris, a mother grieving the death of her young son.
When she is targeted by a serial killer (played by Finn Wittrock) and injected with a paralytic agent, she must fight to escape before her body shuts down. Don't Move debuted on Netflix on October 25, 2024.
Don't Move is available to stream on Netflix.
