Morocco on screen: the film locations
For film and series fans who want to stand where the scenes were shot. The short answer: Ouarzazate and the ksar of Aït Benhaddou are the heart of it, with Essaouira, Tangier, Marrakech and the dunes near Erfoud adding the rest.
Where the big titles were filmed
| Title | Where in Morocco | What was shot |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence of Arabia (1962) | Aït Benhaddou; dunes near Erfoud and Zagora | The fortified village and desert scenes |
| The Mummy (1999) | Marrakech medina and Jemaa el-Fna; Gara Medouar near Erfoud | 1920s Cairo; the lost city of Hamunaptra |
| Gladiator (2000) | Aït Benhaddou; Atlas Studios, Ouarzazate | The town and arena; the slave market and pens |
| Kingdom of Heaven (2005) | Aït Benhaddou | 12th-century Jerusalem, with added sets |
| The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) | Tangier medina | Scenes in the medina |
| Inception (2010) | Tangier's Grand Souk | Mombasa, Kenya |
| Game of Thrones (seasons 2–3) | Essaouira's Skala; Aït Benhaddou; Atlas Studios | Astapor; Yunkai; interiors for Pentos |
| Spectre (2015) | Oujda to Bouarfa railway; Gara Medouar near Erfoud | The desert train; the villain's lair |
| Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) | Marrakech highway, Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas, Casablanca | Scenes in all three cities |
| Gladiator II (2024) | Ouarzazate | Lucius's first arena fight, and desert sequences |
Aït Benhaddou, the most filmed village
The ksar of Aït Benhaddou sits in Ouarzazate province on the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. Its earth walls have played Jerusalem, Rome's provinces, Yunkai and more.
The list of productions is long: Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Would Be King, Jesus of Nazareth, The Jewel of the Nile, The Living Daylights, The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander, Kingdom of Heaven, Babel, Prince of Persia and, most recently, The Odyssey (2026).
Ouarzazate, the studio town
Atlas Studios opened in 1983, 5 km west of Ouarzazate, founded by the Moroccan entrepreneur Mohamed Belghmi. It is described as the largest film studio in the world by land area. Gladiator's slave market was built there, and Kundun recreated the streets of Lhasa and the Potala Palace on its lot. A second studio, CLA, opened in 2004.
In town, the Cinema Museum, opened in 2007 in a former studio across from the Kasbah Taourirt, shows sets, props and old film equipment. Visit the studio by guided tour and check the current price at the gate.
A trip shape: seven days of sets
Tangier → Rabat → Casablanca → Marrakech → Ouarzazate → Essaouira · 7
Or do it in reverse. The dunes near Erfoud (The Mummy, Spectre) fit a Merzouga desert trip.
- Day 1Tangier. The Grand Souk (Inception) and the medina (Bourne Ultimatum).
- Day 2Al Boraq train south. Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas (Mission: Impossible), on to Casablanca.
- Day 3Train to Marrakech. Jemaa el-Fna and the medina, which played 1920s Cairo in The Mummy.
- Days 4–5Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Aït Benhaddou, then Ouarzazate: Atlas Studios and the Cinema Museum.
- Days 6–7Back through Marrakech to Essaouira. Walk the Skala ramparts, Astapor in Game of Thrones.
What film fans ask
Where was Gladiator filmed in Morocco?
The town and arena were built at Aït Benhaddou, and the slave market and holding pens at Atlas Studios near Ouarzazate. The slavery, desert travel and training scenes were filmed around Ouarzazate.
Was Gladiator II filmed in Morocco?
Partly. Most of it was shot in Malta, but Lucius's first gladiator fight and desert sequences were filmed in Ouarzazate.
Where was Game of Thrones filmed in Morocco?
Essaouira's Skala played Astapor in season 3, Aït Benhaddou played Yunkai, and Atlas Studios built interiors for Pentos.
Can you visit Atlas Studios?
Yes, on a guided tour. It is 5 km west of Ouarzazate. Check the price and times on the day.
Where was Lawrence of Arabia filmed in Morocco?
The fortified village is Aït Benhaddou; desert scenes were shot in the dunes outside Erfoud and Zagora.
Can I see film sets on a day trip from Marrakech?
Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate are over the Atlas from Marrakech. A day trip is possible but long; a night in Ouarzazate lets you see the studio and the museum without rushing.
Where was The Mummy filmed?
Cairo scenes in Marrakech's medina and around Jemaa el-Fna; Hamunaptra at Gara Medouar, outside Erfoud.
Is anything new being filmed?
The Odyssey (2026) is the latest major title listed as filmed at Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate.
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Sources · checked 2026-11-14
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