Riot Games considers Vietnam's Cat Ba for filming League of Legends series

Rose Lam, global director of production at Riot Studios, said that after surveying locations in Japan, South Korea, and Thailand, the film crew concluded that Cat Ba was the most suitable choice.

She highlighted its unique natural landscapes and ability to meet the production requirements of a large-scale film project.

During a meeting on Tuesday with Nguyen Van Hung, Vietnam's Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, she expressed the crew’s hope for receiving support from Vietnam to ensure smooth production progress.

Riot Studios is the content production division of Riot Games, known for developing and publishing 2009 multiplayer online battle arena video game League of Legends, which has attracted over 650 million players worldwide.

The nine-episode series is expected to begin filming later this year.

Hung noted that Vietnam has become an attractive destination for international film crews thanks to its diverse natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

He cited "Kong: Skull Island", which was filmed in Vietnam including scenes in Cat Ba in 2017, as a major boost to the country's global tourism image.

He expressed optimism that Riot Studios' new project would encourage more international film productions in Vietnam.

The ministry will work closely with relevant agencies to support the project while ensuring environmental protection.

"Filming must comply with the principle of not affecting natural heritage sites," Hung emphasized.

Nguyen Chau A, CEO of adventure tour operator Oxalis Adventure, hoped the project will contribute to promoting Vietnam’s tourism, similar to how "The White Lotus" boosted Thailand’s appeal.

He noted that while the decision is ultimately up to the film’s producers, the chances of filming in Cat Ba are "very high."

He also praised Vietnam’s proactive approach in facilitating the production, which left a positive impression on the film crew.

Cat Ba Archipelago consists of 367 islands located south of Ha Long Bay.

In the first two months of this year, it welcomed more than 280,000 tourists, including nearly 180,000 foreigners. Total revenue from tourism services during this period was estimated at VND257 billion.