AFC Morocco Tours

Movie Locations in Morocco, Where Hollywood Meets the Sahara

Morocco has long been a favorite destination for filmmakers, offering a stunning backdrop of diverse landscapes, from sweeping deserts and rugged mountains to vibrant medinas and ancient kasbahs. As you journey through this captivating country, you might find yourself stepping into scenes from Hollywood blockbusters and world-renowned TV series. In this blog, we’ll uncover some of Morocco’s most iconic movie locations, where cinematic magic comes to life amidst the country’s breathtaking scenery. Whether you’re a film buff or a curious traveler, Morocco’s connection to the silver screen is sure to inspire your next adventure.

Many film lovers, moviegoers, and cinephiles worldwide have seen a significant portion of Moroccan territory and scenery in Hollywood films. The nation has become a big film set in films everywhere.

Here are six blockbuster movies that were set in Morocco:

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

The best director of England, Alfred Hitchcock, starts his thriller, The Man Who Knew Too Much with a bus sequence entering the threshold of Bab Doukkala, a historical site in the Marrakech region. Hitchcock shows the same bus arriving at Bab El Khemis, a very vibrant flea market filled with old junk and hidden treasures Dr. Benjamin (James Stewart) and his wife Josephine “Jo” (Doris Day) reside at the lavish La Mamounia hotel during their visit. (Winston Churchill had always resided at this hotel and spent much time in Marrakech.) Alfred Hitchcock, the ‘king of suspense’ has used the enchanting Jemaa el-Fnaa area as a setting for his film. The film reveals how the McKenna family inadvertently stumbles on the world-renowned, busy square on an assassination.

The Mummy (1999)

The Mummy, featuring Rachel Weisz, recipient of the Academy Award, and Brendan Fraser, is a recreation of the 1932 iconic horror movie of the same name. The movie is set in Egypt but mostly shot in Morocco. A whole set was designed for the imaginary Egyptian city, Hamunaptra, in the Southeastern Moroccan region. Built in a dormant volcanic crater near the real-life oasis town, Erfoud, was the setting for this fictional town. Fast-forward, two years later, the sequel to Stephen Sommers’ 1999 hit film “The Mummy Returns” to Morocco once again. The sand dunes of Erg Chebbi are used as doubles for the Egyptian desert not too far from Erfoud.

Sex and the City 2 (2010)

Sex and City 2 is a 2010 movie featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Kim Cattrall. The Abu Dhabi portion of Sex and City 2 was filmed in Morocco — the scene in which Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) reaches Aidan Shaw (John Corbett) was filmed in Marrakech’s lively medina souks. The desert scenes had been shot in the core of the ergs and dunes of Erg Chebbi. The resort where Carrie and Aiden have dinner is the lavish Amanjena Hotel — David Beckham spent his 40th birthday in this magnificent hotel outside Marrakesh with his loved ones including the Spice Girls).

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is developed by Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Mike Newell. Penny Rose, who was also the Pirates of the Caribbean costume designer, collaborated on this video game franchise adaption. The film features Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, and Alfred Molina. The stunning scenery of the Moroccan mountains, valleys, and deserts acted as the backdrop for a vast number of scenes. Much of the film set was made around Morocco including Merzouga, Erfoud, Ouarzazate, Tameslouht, Oukaimeden, and Marrakech. Many regional artisans and designers have helped to create and make costumes and props, including the dagger which unlocks the sands of time and the armor of Prince Dastan.

Inception (2010)

Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi blockbuster, Inception, is both a mind-blowing and a mind-boggling mystery about “dream within a dream.” Nolan puts together a very phenomenal cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, and Michael Caine. The Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) foot chase scene was shot in Tangier’s narrow streets and crowded souks. The city in north Morocco doubled as Mombasa, Kenya.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is an action, adventure, and spy movie featuring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an IMF agent. The film has filmed some amazing scenes in several locations around Morocco. The chase scene in which agent Hunt (Tom Cruise) and Benji (Simon Pegg) drive a BMW M3 and are chased by members of the Syndicate was filmed near the Udayas Kasbah in Rabat, a monument of the 12th century. The chase proceeds through the narrow streets of Casablanca’s Derb Sultan neighborhood and finishes with a BMW M3 backflip across the road from the landmark Hassan II Mosque, Morocco’s largest mosque. On the A7 Autoroute Casablanca – Agadir expressway and along the sharp turns of the Atlas Mountains near Marrakech the other sequence where Ethan Hunt follows Ilsa onto the highway was shot.

Thus, knowingly or unknowingly, we have seen much of Morocco on our screens. The beautifully varied landscape makes for stunning backdrops for many films. From towering mountains, roaring seas, and tumultuous deserts, Morocco has it all. It is a veritable paradise for any crew wanting to create a splendid movie!