The London Eye in popular culture

As a prominent London landmark, the London Eye (also known as the Millennium Wheel) is often used in popular culture.

Contents 1 Films 1.1 Hollywood 1.2 Independent 1.3 Bollywood 1.4 Animated 2 Music 3 Novels 4 Television 4.1 Soaps 4.2 Drama 4.3 Comedy 4.4 Reality TV 4.5 Animated 4.6 Children's 4.7 Station identifications 5 Miscellaneous 6 References 7 See also

Films

Hollywood

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Featured during a Wizard Chase scene.
• Run Fatboy Run (2007) While Dennis was still running in the marathon, it can be seen in the background during the nighttime.
• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) The London Eye is threatened when the Silver Surfer creates a whirlpool, forcing the team to prevent it falling into the Thames.
• The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005) Two characters from the comedy show The League of Gentlemen are seen riding it, much to the confusion of nearby tourists.
• Wimbledon (2004) Features a scene in a capsule.
• Agent Cody Banks 2 (2004) Features a scene in a capsule.
• Thunderbirds (2004) Thunderbird 2 flies through London and lands next to the London Eye.
• Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) Seen when Austin Powers enters his new London headquarters.
• A Knight's Tale (2001) An establishing shot of 14th century London features a replica wooden Eye, one of a number of deliberate anachronisms in the film.

Independent

• 9 Songs (2004) A short scene takes place in a capsule of the London Eye.
• If Only (2004) A scene that takes place in a private capsule of the London Eye.
• 28 Days Later (2002) The Eye is seen, motionless, in the scenes of a deserted London in the early part of the film.
• Flood (2007) The Eye is shown several times, including the opening credits, when the flood is shown sweeping through Westminster, and at the end of the movie when the devastated city is shown in long shot.
• The Day the Earth Stopped (2008) The Eye is destroyed by a giant robot.

Bollywood

• Namaste London (2007) Seen in a song.
• Jayam Manadera, an Indian Telugu language movie, starring Venkatesh and Soundarya, it has a song in which the Eye is seen from all the corners of London.

Animated

• Flushed Away (2006) The Eye can be seen as Roddy and Rita are floating over Kensington hanging from a plastic shopping bag parachute.

Music

• The first music video to feature the Eye was Stephen Gately's first single "New Beginning".
• Part of BBMak's music video "Back Here" was filmed on the Eye.
• R.E.M. The Eye is used as a location in the video to "Aftermath".
• Status Quo perform in a capsule for the video to "The Beginning of the End".
• Kano, the Eye is used as a backdrop in the video for "Feel Free".
• The Dirty Pretty Things performed on the Eye during a Carling Live 24 event.

Novels

• The Eye is featured in the 2005 novel Strange Affair, by Peter Robinson, on pages 190-94 (McClelland & Stewart paperback)
• The Eye is featured in the 2007 children's mystery novel The London Eye Mystery
• The Eye is featured in the 2008 novel Netherland, by Joseph O'Neill, on pages 253–55 (Vintage paperback)
• In Un Lun Dun by China Miéville, the London Eye is said to have come from a dream about the UnLondon-I, a giant water wheel
• The eye is featured in the quest of the warrior sheep.

Television

Soaps

• EastEnders: Jim proposed to Dot in one of the capsules of the London Eye.
• Neighbours: In a 2007 episode, Karl proposed to Susan in one of the capsules.

Drama

• Hustle: An episode opens with a confidence scheme trying to sell someone the London Eye.
• Tripping Over: In the season 1 finale, Tamsin and Sam hold their wedding in one of the capsules.
• Doctor Who: In the 2005 episode "Rose", the London Eye was used as a communication/control device for the Nestene Consciousness.

Comedy

• Dead Ringers: Jon Culshaw dresses as The Doctor and warns people not to listen to the messages over the speaker system because, "It's a trap!"

Reality TV

• Spy: In this 2005 miniseries, a surveillance exercise is run from The Eye

• The Amazing Race: In 2007 in Season 7, teams had to go to the top of the London Eye to search for a location with the help of binoculars.

• The Girls Next Door: In 2006 in Season 2, Holly, Bridget, and Kendra visited the London Eye.

• Making the Band 4: In 2009 in Season 3, Day 26 rides the London Eye while discussing the demise of Danity Kane.

Animated

• Death Note: Seen in episode 11.
• The Simpsons: In "The Regina Monologues" episode, Homer and Marge Simpson rode on it in search of their children (Bart and Lisa) and their capsule becomes a detachable flotation device.
• Phineas and Ferb: In the episode "Elementary My Dear Stacy" the boys' waterslide loops around Big Ben and finishes at the London Eye.

Children's

• Becky and Barnaby Bear: In "The River Thames" episode, Barnaby visits the Eye.
• Tracy Beaker's Movie of Me: Features a scene in a capsule when Tracy talks to her mum.

Station identifications

• One of the current series of BBC One station identification spots features a stylised representation of the London Eye, used because the theme of the series is a circle representing 'One'.

Miscellaneous

• Used as the location of a 2003 flash mob^[1]
• In Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition, a Chance card reads "Pay 1.5 million to have all 32 capsules of The London Eye washed and polished"
• Modelled at Legoland Windsor
• Seen in Mass Effect 3 trailer, with London being attacked by Reapers in the background

References

1. ^ One in the Eye for Flash Mob By Nicole O'Neil, This is London Last updated at 00:00am on 14.08.03

See also

• List of television shows set in London
• List of films set in London
• London in film