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MoviesAttractionsAbu Dhabi

by Alexandra Mansilla

Stormtroopers, Sonic, And Sand: Movies Featuring the UAE Deserts

24 May 2024

Did you know that the crew of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” travelled to Abu Dhabi specifically to film scenes on the desert planet Jakku? Or that Sonic the Hedgehog raced through the Liwa Desert to escape Dr. Robotnik? Yes, the deserts of the UAE have appeared in many films — here are a few notable examples.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Where: Liwa Desert (Abu Dhabi)
That iconic scene where Sonic races through the desert at incredible speed, chased by Dr. Robotnik. Even though it shows the Egyptian pyramids and the Sphinx, it was actually filmed in the Liwa Desert.
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Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Where: Rub' al Khali desert (Abu Dhabi)
The isolated planet of Jakku from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is actually the 650,000 sq. km Rub’ al Khali desert (also called the Empty Quarter). This is one of the driest regions in the world, virtually uninhabited and largely unexplored.
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). Source: IMDb

Fast & Furious 7 (2015)

Where: Liwa Desert (Abu Dhabi)
Remember the parade of luxury sports cars racing through the desert in Furious 7? That desert was the Liwa Desert.

Underground 6 (2019)

Where: Liwa Desert (Abu Dhabi)
6 Underground is an action film directed by Michael Bay, starring Ryan Reynolds. It follows a billionaire who fakes his death to form a secret team of six people with unique skills. Together, they take on dangerous missions to fight criminals and dictators. Where do all these events take place? In many locations, and one of them is the Liwa Desert.
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Underground 6 (2019)

Dune (both parts)

Where: Liwa Desert (Abu Dhabi)
Well, it was inevitable that this movie would be on the list; it couldn't be ignored. The first part of Dune was shot in the Liwa Desert for five days, while the second part was filmed for much longer. Villeneuve and the entire cast and crew spent 27 days among Liwa’s towering dunes, some over 600 feet tall, on the edge of Rub’ Al Khali.
“Did it influence the way we shot the movie? Tremendously. The main reason I came here was to be inspired directly by the desert,” Villeneuve told The National. “You cannot create those shots that we’ve made on a soundstage in a back lot. I designed all the shots according to the landscape.”
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Dune: Part Two (2024). Source: IMDb

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