Take a trip to Abu Dhabi and discover top-secret movie spots

Abu Dhabi has been the setting for some of the most popular films of all time, from Star Wars to Fast & Furious. With its towering skyline, glittering palaces and golden sand dunes, Abu Dhabi has inspired stories that are out of this world. Many of these filming locations are open to the public, for you to explore at your own pace and imagine yourself in your favourite films.  

Check out the blockbusters that have been filmed in Abu Dhabi and their filming locations below:  

Star Wars, The Force Awakens  

The planets found in one of the world’s biggest franchises are not as far away as you may imagine – the planet Jakku, found in the 2015 Star Wars film ‘The Force Awakens’, is actually the dunes of Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter in Liwa. These dunes are the world's largest uninterrupted sand mass. Travellers looking for adventure can strap on a sandboard and shred down the seemingly endless red slopes. 

Dune 

The star-studded film, featuring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, is also set in Abu Dhabi’s deserts. Here you can take in the sand dunes that Director Denis Villeneuve described as ‘mesmerising’ and ‘unmatchable’, through a vast number of activities including off-roading and safaris. 

6 Underground  

This Ryan Reynolds film features many of Abu Dhabi’s iconic landmarks, including Etihad Towers, Emirates Palace and Louvre Abu Dhabi. The iconic art museum is set in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, where you can take in both the stunning artworks and the awe-inducing architectural design of the museum. The other landmarks from the film are just a short distance away, perfect for a scene-spotting tour.  

Furious 7  

With Abu Dhabi arguably being one of the best places in the world to go supercar spotting, it only made sense for the Fast & Furious franchise to shoot in this incredible destination. The gravity-defying scenes that set the film up for success were shot in the luxurious Etihad Towers and Emirates Palace. See if you can recognise the spot where all the action took place at Etihad Towers' Observation Deck at 300.  

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One 

This action-packed movie features Tom Cruise horse riding across the Liwa Desert – only a 90-minute drive from downtown Abu Dhabi. Liwa offers various safari activities where you too can explore the desert’s soaring dunes and impressive sand valleys. Situated southwest of the destination on the edge of the great Empty Quarter desert (Rub' al Khali), you too can explore Abu Dhabi like super spy Ethan Hunt. 

And for those looking for a bit of family-friendly, film and animation-themed fun: 

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi 

Located on Yas Island, Warner Bros. World is packed with exhilarating rides and iconic characters from the magical world of film and animation. You can find five themed areas within the park: Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch, Cartoon Junction, Gotham City and Metropolis.  Here you can hop on 29 thrilling rides, meet icons like Bugs Bunny and Scooby-Doo, or come face-to-face with superheroes like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. 

Find out more about winter in Abu Dhabi at visitabudhabi.ae. 

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