Holy Innocents Church in High Beech appears in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third film in the popular Knives Out series, which began showing in cinemas on Wednesday, November 26 and will be available on Netflix from December 12.
Filmed in 2024, the production team selected the church for its “classic Gothic architecture” and surrounding woodland, which helped create the look of upstate New York.
Councillor Mark Durham, cabinet member for the arts, heritage and culture at Essex County Council, said: “Having Knives Out filmed on location in Essex underlines just how attractive our county is for film and TV productions.
“Essex is a desirable place for film makers as we have so many different environments in the county.
“This is exactly where regional film offices add real value.
“They help productions find the right locations, navigate logistics, and ultimately attract filming into the region.”
The Essex Film Office, part of Essex County Council, supported the production by securing filming permissions and coordinating with the local authority.
Erica Gilson, manager at the Essex Film Office, said: “In recent years we’ve welcomed Slow Horses, Spiderman and the production team for The Essex Serpent, to name just a few, here in Essex.
“Wake Up Dead Man was a major moment for us, it showed how our county can stand out on the global stage.
“The filmmakers were searching for a hero church location in the UK that could convincingly double as a church in the USA.
“The director had a crystal-clear vision, and over 100 churches across the UK were considered, and Essex delivered the perfect setting.”
The Essex Film Office acts as a central point of contact for filming activity in the county.
It works with local authorities, location owners and production companies to attract filming to Essex and gathers data on filming activity and spend to support future investment.
