List of Star Wars filming locations

Map showing Star Wars shooting locations and film studios
Scenery left over from the filming of Tatooine scenes in Onk Jmel, Tunisia

Multiple global locations were used between 1976 and 2003 for filming locations during the production of the first six Star Wars films to provide the setting for alien planets in the Star Wars Universe.

Most locations were used to shoot principal photography with actors; more recently as digital filmmaking has become more common, some prequel trilogy locations were shot with no actors present and digitally composited into the films to provide a backdrop of a story setting.

Listed below are locations used for filming of the following Star Wars films:

In addition to filming locations, a list of film studios is also included for reference.

Maps

Leavesden Studios
Whippendell Woods
Studios & locations in the UK

Location filming

Image Location Country Episode Setting Notes
stone houses in Ksar Hadadda Ksar Hadada, Ghoumrassen Tunisia I Tatooine: Mos Espa slave quarters [1]
multi-storey stone houses with steps to doors Ksar Ouled Soltane Tunisia I Tatooine: Mos Espa slave quarters 30km south of Tataouine[1]
Film set in town buildings Onk Jemal, Tozeur Tunisia I Tatooine desert Location of the lightsabre duel between Qui-Gonn Jinn & Darth Maul; Mos Espa[1]
Sweeping marble staircase inside the Palace of Caserta Palace of Caserta Italy I, II Naboo Royal Palace [2]
Glade in Whippendell Wood Whippendell Woods, Cassiobury Park, Watford UK I Naboo forest scene First meeting of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi with Jar Jar Binks.[3][4]
Curved colonnade of the Plaza de España Plaza de España in Seville Spain II Naboo: City of Theed [5]
Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como Villa del Balbianello Italy II Naboo lakeside Used for Anakin and Padmé's wedding scene overlooking Lake Como [6]
Hotel Sididriss,Matmata Matmata Tunisia II, IV Tatooine: Lars Homestead Used for courtyard shots and Lars dinner scene. The homestead also featured in Attack of the Clones[7][1]
Phang Nga Bay, near Phuket Thailand III Kashyyyk Aerial footage of limestone karst mountains which was later composited into the film for the approach over the Battle of Kashyyyk [8]
Tall karst mountains in the mist seen from the Li river Guilin China III Kashyyyk Footage of limestone karst mountains which was later composited into the film for the backdrop of Kashyyyk[9]
Eruption of lava from Etna in 2002 Mount Etna Italy III Mustafar The volcano erupted during filming of Episode III and Lucasfilm sent camera crews to shoot several angles of the eruption; footage was later composited into the background of the scenes set on Mustafar including the lightsaber duel of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.[10][11]
snow-covered peak of the Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald Grindelwald Switzerland III Alderaan Footage of mountain scenery which was later composited into the film for the backdrop of the planet Alderaan[12]
remains of the Lars Homestead in the desert Chott el Djerid, near Nefta Tunisia IV Tatooine desert and Lars homestead Area west of Nefta: chott used for the Lars homestead[1]
Sand dunes near Nefta La Grande Dune, near Nefta Tunisia IV Tatooine desert Sand dunes west of Nefta used to film the landing area of the escape pod of C-3PO and R2-D2[13][1] [14]
View of Tikal over rainforest trees Tikal Guatemala IV Yavin IV Rebel Base [15][16]
Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley
Dante's View looking North 		Death Valley National Park USA IV Tatooine desert

Several Tatooine scenes:[15][17]

  • Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes - scene where R2D2 goes his separate way after he and C3P0 crash their escape pod on Tatooine (spliced with footage shot in Tunisia)
  • Artists Palette & Golden Canyon - Canyon where R2D2 is abducted by Jawas (spliced with footage shot at Sidi Bouhlel, Tunisia)
  • Artist's Drive - Where the miniature Sandcrawler was filmed for the shot of R2D2 being carried up to it by Jawas
  • Desolation Canyon - Canyon where Tusken Raiders mount Bantha before Luke Skywalker is attacked (spliced with Sidi Bouhlel footage)
  • Dante's View - panoramic establishing shot of Mos Eisley (spliced with Sidi Bouhlel footage of Luke and Obi-Wan standing on rocky outcrop)
domed a mud building Ajim, Island of Djerba Tunisia IV Tatooine: Mos Eisley Spaceport Scenes shot in the town include the exterior of the Mos Eisley Cantina. An old mosque outside the town was used for exterior shots of Obi-Wan Kenobi's house[1]
Sidi Jemour, Island of Djerba Tunisia IV Tatooine: Tosche Station Location for the deleted exterior scenes with Luke and Biggs Darklighter; also used as a backdrop in the Special Edition for the scene showing Luke's landspeeder heading towards Mos Eisley[1][18]
Closeup of a rocky outcrop in Sidi Bouhlel canyon Shubiel Gorge, Sidi Bouhlel (or Sidi Bou Helal), near Tozeur Tunisia IV Tatooine canyon

Several Tatooine scenes: [19][13]

  • Canyon where R2D2 is abducted by Jawas (spliced with footage shot at Death Valley, USA)
  • Canyon where Tusken Raiders attack Luke Skywalker (spliced with Death Valley footage)
  • Scene of wrecked Sandcrawler after attack by Imperial stormtroopers
  • Also features in The Phantom Menace.[1]
Hardangerjøkulen Glacier Hardangerjøkulen Glacier Norway V Hoth Exterior scenes during the battle of Hoth[20]
Wide, rocky sandy canyon with path Twenty-Mule Team Canyon, Death Valley, California USA VI Tatooine: Road to Jabba's Palace Two Tatooine scenes:
  • C-3P0 and R2D2 walk up to the Palace of Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine.
  • "Lost scene" of Luke Skywalker working on a new lightsaber in a cave overlooking the Millennium Falcon and his X-wing, followed by R2D2 and C3PO starting their trek to Jabba's palace.
Buttercup Valley, Yuma Desert USA VI Tatooine exteriors

Location used for the Great Pit of Carkoon scene [21][22]
Additional footage for the special edition of A New Hope of stormtroopers finding evidence of droids was shot here and cut in with original shots from La Grande Dune, Tunisia [23][24]

dense redwood forest in the Redwood National Park Redwood National and State Parks USA VI Endor forest scenes [23]

Studios

Image Location Country Episode Setting Notes
The white lodge at Ealing Film Studios Ealing Studios UK II Setting
Stage 7 at Elstree Studios Elstree Studios UK II, III, IV, V, VI Setting The largest Stage 6 was built specifically for The Empire Strikes Back in 1979 (since demolished)
Leavesden Studios Leavesden Studios UK I Setting
Shepperton Studios UK III, IV Yavin Stage H was used for the final awards ceremony at the end of Episode IV
Fox Studios Sydney Fox Studios, Sydney Australia II, III Setting

See also

Behind-the-scenes documentaries:

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Daniel Jacobs and Peter Morris (2001). "Jedi Stomping Ground". Tunisia (6th ed. ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 319. ISBN 9781858287485. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  2. ↑ Hanson, Matt (2005). "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace". The science behind the fiction : building sci-fi moviescapes. Burlington, Mass.: Focal Press. p. 75. ISBN 9780240807720.
  3. ↑ "The Park on TV". Cassiobury Park website. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "Star Wars trek: Whippendell Woods - November 2001". Star Wars Locations. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  5. ↑ Symington, Andy (2004). "Sevilla". Andalucia (4. edition. ed.). Bath: Footprint Handbooks. p. 76. ISBN 9781903471876.
  6. ↑ "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones film locations". The Worldwide Guide to Film Locations. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  7. ↑ Carvin, Andy (25 January 2006). "The real Star Wars?". ASAP. Associated Press. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "Phuket: the ultimate movie location". The Phuket Observer. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  9. ↑ Simon Foster, Candice Lee (2012). "12. Guilin". Frommer's China. John Wiley & Sons. p. 598. ISBN 9781118223529.
  10. ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith DVD documentary Within a Minute, [2005].
  11. ↑ "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith press text booklet" (PDF). Lucasfilm Ltd. 31 March 2005. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  12. ↑ Stephens, Thomas. "Giving Swiss film locations some direction". SwissInfo.ch. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Hearn 2005, p. 116
  14. ↑ "The Dunes". Star Wars locations. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Hearn 2005, p. 109
  16. ↑ "Star Wars trek: Tikal, Guatemala". Star Wars Locations. April 2004. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "Star Wars trek: Death Valley - April 2001". Star Wars Locations. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  18. ↑ "Sidi Jemour". Star Wars Locations. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  19. ↑ Kenworthy, Colin. "Colin's Canyon Quiz". Star Wars Locations. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  20. ↑ Lundgren, Anthony Ham, Miles Roddis, Kari (2008). Norway. (4th ed. ed.). Footscray, Vic.: Lonely Planet. p. 190. ISBN 9781741045796.
  21. ↑ Hearn 2005, p. 140.
  22. ↑ Duke, Brad (2005). "18. Life Among the Aliens". Harrison Ford : the films. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 103. ISBN 9780786420162.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 David West Reynolds and Scott Chernoff (March 2000). "Star Wars Insider" (48).
  24. ↑ "Return of the Jedi Official Collectors Edition". Paradise Press. 1983.

Sources

External links

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