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Some of the world’s most ethereal filming locations
Writers don’t have to stress over the filmmaking process or the logistics of shooting a scene—they’re too invested in crafting stories that stretch the boundaries of imagination. That challenge belongs to filmmakers, who journey on relentless quests to bring the most outlandish visions to life, scouring even the Earth’s most hidden corners for the perfect real-world setting. Some places remain tucked away until the silver screen finally puts them in the spotlight.
Let’s check out some movies and their little-known filming locations, exploring how these places shaped the films—and how the films, in turn, put them on the map.
Wadi Rum (Jordan)
Mars colonization might take a while, and we may not be around to witness it. But if you want a taste of what it would be like—complete with oxygen and humane conditions—head to Jordan’s stunning, red-hued Wadi Rum.
Ridley Scott, a purist at heart, would have flown to Mars to shoot The Martian if he could. Instead, he found the perfect stand-in right here, using Wadi Rum’s surreal terrain for all the Martian scenes of the movie.
With towering sandstone cliffs and endless dunes, it’s an otherworldly backdrop that filmmakers love. Wadi Rum is also the Arrakis of Denis Villeneuve’s epic Dune. So, if you’re a big Dune movie fan, you might feel like you’re about to wake up the ever-hungry sandworm lurking just beneath the surface!
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Prometheus, and more movies have been filmed here. But while most movies showcase its vast beauty, the Indian film The Goat Life flips the portrayal of the terrain and offers a different perspective, using Wadi Rum to heighten Najib’s desperation, making you feel his isolation in the desert and his need to escape.
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Svínafellsjökull Glacier (Iceland)
When sunlight hits the dense blue ice, Svínafellsjökull glacier glows with an eerie, as if exuding bioluminescent shimmer. It’s more like an ice fortress than a glacier on Earth. Its raw, untamed beauty is a dream come true for filmmakers, perfectly capturing that mix of isolation and danger that the terrain naturally exudes.
If there’s one director who steers clear of CGI whenever possible, it’s Christopher Nolan. We haven’t seen his take on Homer’s Odyssey yet, but his films make it clear—he’s all about pushing practical effects to their limit, keeping VFX to a bare minimum. For a filmmaker like him, location is everything, and the Svínafellsjökull glacier in Iceland clearly left an impression. He first used it in Batman Begins for Bruce Wayne’s training under Ra’s al Ghul, then returned to transform it into the unforgiving Mann’s planet in Interstellar, which won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
With its sheer size and unforgiving beauty, Svínafellsjökull was the perfect setting for both films’ desolate landscapes. Its deep blue crevasses and towering ice ridges stand out instantly, looking so otherworldly that it feels like a place where gravity just plays by its own rules!
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Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (China)
James Cameron’s Avatar did something rare—it made us cheer for aliens over our own kind. The reason? He crafted Pandora so beautifully that it made us think twice about our own impact on the natural world. While Pandora is fictional, its inspiration isn’t—the breathtaking Hallelujah Mountains can be found in China’s Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The film’s massive success even led to one of the park’s peaks being called “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.”
Wrapped in mist, towering sandstone pillars seem to defy gravity, rising like ancient guardians. With lush greenery clinging to them and fog weaving through, the whole place feels like a dream sculpted into reality.
When the mist settles in, blurring the lines between dream and reality, you might almost believe Avatar was filmed here—though it was just the inspiration for the movie. Standing before these colossal formations is a humbling act, a testament to nature’s grandeur.
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Reynisfjara Beach (Iceland)
Jet-black volcanic sand, towering basalt columns, and the wild Atlantic’s fury make this place both haunting and mesmerizing. With the wind howling and waves crashing, it feels less like a beach and more like a realm of gods—or a dream. The stark contrast between the black sand and white surf gives filmmakers a raw, CGI-free set dripping with mystery and power.
In Star Trek: Into Darkness, the filmmakers sought a location that could capture the raw beauty of an uncharted planet—and they found it in Iceland’s Reynisfjara Beach. With its jet-black volcanic sands, the beach felt truly otherworldly.
But Reynisfjara isn’t just stunning—it’s deadly. Sneaker waves have claimed lives, sparing no one, so keep your distance. And if you hear whispers on the wind, don’t ignore them – legend has it those basalt stacks were once trolls, frozen by Iceland’s merciless sun.
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Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)
At first glance, Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni seems like an endless stretch of white nothingness—a vast, silent desert sculpted entirely from salt. But when the rains arrive, a thin veil of water transforms this barren expanse into the world’s largest natural mirror, reflecting the sky so flawlessly that the horizon dissolves, making it feel like you’re floating between heaven and Earth!
Its otherworldly look has made it a Hollywood favorite for crafting alien landscapes. Star Wars: The Last Jedi tapped into its eerie beauty, turning it into the backdrop for planet Crait—the blinding white salt, streaked with red minerals, set the stage for one of the most iconic battle scenes in cinematic history. It has also lent its dreamlike appeal to The Fall, where its ethereal vibe deepened the visual impact.
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Lençóis Maranhenses (Brazil)
We’ve already explored some underrated, otherworldly destinations, but here’s a bonus—one so stunning and surreal that filmmakers have barely turned their lenses toward it. Before Hollywood claims it, you might want to check out Lençóis Maranhenses in Brazil.
It is mostly a white sand desert, but instead of endless dry dunes, imagine crystal-clear blue lagoons cradled between rippling white sands. It’s a place that defies logic—a sci-fi dream brought to life in Brazil.
During the rainy season, these dunes transform, filling up with shimmering freshwater pools, creating an unreal blend of blue and white. Despite its cinematic appeal, Lençóis Maranhenses remains Hollywood’s best-kept secret.
Though widely believed to have inspired the planet Vormir in Avengers: Infinity War—where Thanos seeks the Soul Stone—the scene was so drenched in purple hues that the real landscape is nearly unrecognizable. That said, Marvel has never officially confirmed the location. However, many Brazilian films like The House of Sand and travel documentaries have captured its magic.
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