Where Was 'Dune' Filmed? Here's Where You'll Find the Real-World Locations

The Big Picture

• Dune 's visuals are visually stunning and are a result of the impressive work by cinematographer Greig Fraser.
• The film was shot in various locations, including the deserts of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, adding to its authenticity.
• Other iconic films like Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars have also used these locations for their desert scenes.

One of the many reasons to watch the Timothée Chalamet-led Dune is the film’s epic scale. Dune: Part Two arrived in theaters in March and effortlessly matched the expansive scale and scope of its predecessor. Alongside Chalamet, Part Two also starred Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, and Dave Bautista, to name a few. Beyond its cast, the franchise's eye-popping visuals, vast number of locations, and large-scale action sequences, there's more than enough to appeal to fans of the genre.

There is no denying that Denis Villeneuve's Dune is easily one of the most massive undertakings in the cinematic world of science fiction. Dune was certainly meant to be seen in theaters, but its gorgeous, sweeping visuals were no less impressive when it arrived on the small screen. Dune follows Chalamet's Paul Atreides as he grapples with his destiny amid his pursuit for revenge in a shifting and expansive world created by Frank Herbert.

Dune

A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.

Who's Responsible for 'Dune's Stunning Visuals?

Dune features many cutting edge visual effects, but the formal beauty of the film’s composition comes from the outstanding work of cinematographer Greig Fraser. Fraser began his career working in intimate character dramas like Killing Them Softly, Zero Dark Thirty, Foxcatcher, and Lion, but he quickly became a go-to choice for dark, action-heavy blockbusters from auteur filmmakers. Fraser explored the furthest reaches of the galaxy far, far away in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and he developed the stunning vision of Gotham City for The Batman.

Fraser and Villeneuve began principal photography on Dune way back in March 2019, and concluded the shoot in July with additional reshoots the following year to meet the intended release date. Dune was originally scheduled for a November 2020 debut, but like most studio tentpoles, it was pushed back as a result of COVID-19, eventually getting a 2021 release date. Upon release, the movie still garnered critical acclaim, with its locations drawing significant praise. Fraser then returned for Dune: Part Two capturing lightning in a bottle for a second time. There is no word yet on if Fraser will return for the third film in the franchise, Dune Messiah, but having the same cinematographer throughout the franchise ensures that the films' iconic imagery is a consistent motif fans can appreciate across movies. It will certainly be interesting to see how the ante will be raised with Dune Messiah's locations.

Where Was 'Dune' Actually Filmed?

Although Dune utilized more traditional studio sets at the Origo Film Studios in Budapest, a good portion of the film was captured on location. The deserts of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates both stood in for the brutal world of the sand planet Arrakis. While, obviously, the film employed heavy computer-generated imagery in order to bring the sandworm creatures to life, there’s nothing fake about the desert’s danger. Timothée Chalamet said that the heat reached over 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and Jason Momoa called it one of the most challenging shoots of his career.

It’s not the first time that the Wadi Rum valley of Jordan was used to capture an iconic desert location, as the area has frequently been a filming site for Hollywood productions. Perhaps the most famous desert movie ever made, David Lean’s all-time classic Lawrence of Arabia, used the Wadi Rum area as the backdrop for his World War I epic. The region also doubled for Mars in The Martian and Mission to Mars, Egypt in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Xenomorph homeworld in Prometheus, the ancient force planet Jedha in Rogue One, and the markets of Pasaana in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Similarly, the Liwa Oasis region used to complete the vision of Arrakkis in some of the larger exterior shots has also been a popular filming site. The area helped J.J. Abrams bring Jakku to life in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it was also used in 2019’s Sonic the Hedgehog.

In Every Adaptation of ‘Dune,’ This Crucial Book Character Gets Screwed

It feels wrong to reward her loyalty by leaving her on the cutting room floor!

Arrakis isn’t the only instantly iconic planet in Dune. The cold landscapes of the House Atreides homeworld Caladan were captured in Stadlandet, Norway. The gorgeous ocean planet was the birthplace of Duke Leto, Paul Atreides, and the Atriedes rules for over 10,000 years before the family was assigned their new fiefdom on Arrakis. For its sequel, Dune: Part Two, filming took place in Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Italy, and Jordan.

Breaking Down the Intentions Behind 'Dune's Real-World Locations

With the significant influence the movie's locations have on the characters and story, Dune's cinematic landscape can be interpreted as a character in itself. Each new location held a piece of the story's puzzle, fitting the pieces of the lore together. As such, getting the locations right was of high importance. Villeneuve also revealed that the locations we see on screen influenced the way the movies were filmed, stating, "I designed all the shoots according to the landscape." The end result is the visual masterpiece that has been praised since its release. What's particularly interesting is that Denis Villeneuve insisted on using real world locations to bring his sci-fi epic to life instead of crafting the universe with CGI and green screen. This extra step of dedication not only enhanced the final result in terms of aesthetics but also amplified the performances from the actors, as they were able to interact with their surroundings realistically and organically.

With sci-fi gems like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 under his belt, it comes as no surprise to hear Villeneuve preferred a more grounded and realistic approach while creating a stylized world, as balancing captivating visuals with unflinching realism has become a recurring motif in the director's productions. With Dune Messiah on the horizon, it will be exciting to see where Villeneuve takes the franchise to next.

Dune is now available to stream on Netflix and Max in the U.S.

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