2001: A Space Odyssey was filmed in England and received praise.
2001: A Space Odyssey (film) . 2001 : A Space Odyssey was financed and distributed by American studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , but it was filmed and edited almost entirely in England using the studio facilities of the MGM-British Studios and those of Shepperton Studios , mostly because of the availability of much larger sound stages than in the United States . Kubrick had shot his previous two films in England and decided to settle there permanently during filming . 2001 : A Space Odyssey initially received mixed reactions from critics and audiences , but it garnered a cult following and slowly became the highest-grossing North American film of 1968 . Today , 2001 : A Space Odyssey is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made .