4 famous films and series shot in Arab countries

From Game of Thrones to Mission Impossible, discover 4 remarkable cinematic productions set in the diverse landscapes of the Arab world.

Game of Thrones

The series Game of Thrones, adapted from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, was partly filmed in Morocco. In the third season, the town of Yunkai, located in Slaver’s Bay, becomes a central point in Daenerys’ journey to the throne. The production chose Ait-Ben-Haddou, a fortified village built in the 17th century along a caravan route. This fortified site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, effectively echoes the fortified nature of the fictional city of Yunkai.

Another prominent locale in Morocco, Essaouira, also made its way into the series. The city’s historical ramparts, originating in the 18th century, provided inspiration for the depiction of Astapor’s Walk of Punishment.

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Star Wars

Part of the Star Wars franchise was filmed in Tunisia. The town of Tataouine in the south of the country inspired the fictional planet Tatooine, and remnants of the franchise’s filming materials are still present there. The Matmata region has also served as a canvas for various Star Wars scenes. Numerous other Tunisian towns have inspired the names of moons in the franchise’s universe, such as Chenini, Guermessa, and Ghomrassen.

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Released in 2019, the movie was filmed by the Giza pyramid complex and in Luxor, situated in Upper Egypt, precisely near the Valley of the Kings. The shoot was highly secretive to minimize disruptions around the historical artifacts of the area. The movie was brought to fruition through the collaboration of two of Hollywood’s biggest studios, namely Paramount and DreamWorks.

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Une publication partagée par tae𓏏𓄿𓇋𓁐 (@tae2911)

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The 2011 Mission Impossible movie was set in the United Arab Emirates, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai as its central backdrop. The skyscraper served as a fitting setting for the film’s sequences, adding to the narrative tension through its towering structure. Moreover, Dubai’s urban landscape and the city’s incentives for filmmakers are turning the city into one of the hubs of film production in the world.

Tom Cruise sitting on top of the worlds tallest building Burj Khalifa without safety harness 😳 pic.twitter.com/Ob5tv9k1Uw

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) February 7, 2023

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Karim Al-Mansour

Journalist with a passion for contemporary Arab culture and social change in the Middle East, I now have over 15 years' experience in the media (print and digital). With solid expertise in editorial strategy and storytelling, I'm motivated by the idea of building bridges between cultures through engaging and informative content.

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