Empire of Light director Sam Mendes has revealed why he chose Margate's picturesque coastline to film his new movie, which hits cinemas next month.

Residents were thrilled to spot Hollywood A-listers such as Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Micheal Ward shooting scenes for Empire of Light in the town earlier this year.

Speaking to Visit Thanet, the Skyfall director said: "I was drawn to this particular place because it offered so much opportunity in the scale of the visual landscape.

"It’s where JMW Turner painted most of his famous paintings – he went there because he said that the skies were the finest in Europe."

Academy Award-winning Mendes, who is also behind blockbusters Spectre and 1917, continued: "It’s where TS Eliot wrote the Waste Land, sitting in a shelter just outside of the cinema looking out over the beach and the grey sea that sits beyond.

"There’s a breadth about the place, which gives it poetry and a cinematic scope."

Olivia Colman also hit headlines this week after describing filming some "slightly embarrassing" sex scenes with co-star Micheal Ward.

The 48-year-old told Graham Norton, in an episode of the chat show to be aired on New Year's Eve: "There was one particular moment when I was astride Micheal in a compromising and slightly embarrassing situation and he said - 'It’s my mum’s birthday today.'

"When he said she was 43, I was like, 'OK, stop talking!'"

As part of the filming in the seaside town, crews embossed the words Empire where the Dreamland sign stood, and set up strings of festoon lights along the promenade, which were gifted to the town but have since been removed.

Locals also spotted 1980s-style cars and outfits, as well as a huge firework display as part of the production.

Empire of Light is coming to UK cinemas on January 9, 2023.