Filming took place in the United Kingdom . Exterior scenes were filmed at Ashridge Park , Hertfordshire and in Scotland . Because the filmmakers considered it too dangerous and time-consuming to shoot in an actual cave , interior scenes were filmed on sets built at Pinewood Studios near London designed by Simon Bowles . '' The Descent '' opened in cinemas in the United Kingdom on 8 July 2005 . It premiered in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and released on 4 August 2006 in the United States . The film received critical acclaim and was a box-office success , grossing $ 57.1 million against a £ 3.5 million budget
2006 Sundance Film Festival
2006 Sundance Film Festival
The Descent