Where is True Detective: Night Country filmed, is Ennis a real place in Alaska and what's the theme tune?

Sky has just released True Detective: Night Country, and fans are already loving this gripping series starring Jodie Foster.

As the last season of True Detective was released in 2019, fans have been patiently waiting for five years for the beloved anthology series to return to our screens. Finally, True Detective made a triumphant return on Monday, January 15th, 2024, as the first episode was released on Now and Sky Atlantic and starred an all-new cast including Jodie Foster, Christopher Ecclestone, and Fiona Shaw.

While viewers were gripped by the mystery that unfolded in the first episode, some were left curious about the technical details of the series, including where the show was shot and whether Ennis is a real place. Here's what you need to know...

Where is True Detective: Night Country filmed?

True Detective: Night Country was filmed in Iceland, entirely during the night. The production took place at several locations in the North and South of Iceland as well as in the capital city, Reykjavik, and the two studios in the capital city, Fossa Studios and Baltasar Kormakur’s RVK Studios.

It was estimated by Screen Daily that the shoot cost around $65 million USD and the production began in 2022 and concluded in April 2023.

Is Ennis a real place in Alaska?

No, Ennis is not a real place in Alaska. However, there is a real place in Texas called Ennis, but this is rather different to the Ennis that was shown in the new series of True Detective! The fictional town is based in the real location of North Slope Borough in Alaska. In this area around 50% of the population is Iñupiat, Indigenous Alaskan which was a key theme in the series.

Although the location might not be real, there are several real research labs and stations that are located in Alaska and in the Arctic Circle.

Similarly, parts of Alaska, do have several days at a time where they see no sunlight. In Barrow, the northernmost village in Alaska, the residents go for 64 days (around two months) without any sunlight in the Winter. In the Summer, the sun has the opposite effect and in June they experience a midnight sun and have several days when the sun only dips below the horizon and never fully sets.

Who sings the True Detective: Night Country theme tune?

The theme tune to True Detective: Night Country, is Billie Eilish's song Bury a Friend. The song is from the singer's debut album from 2019 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

Although some critics have been divided by this song choice, it has an eerie quality and encapsulates the haunting nature of the dark television show which has captured the attention of so many fans.