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Multiple global locations were used for filming locations during the production of the 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 and sequel trilogy locations were shot with no actors present and digitally composited into the films to provide a backdrop of a story setting.
In addition to filming locations, a list of film studios is also included for reference.
Listed below are locations used for filming of the following Star Wars films:
Image | Location | Country | Episode | Setting | Notes
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Salar de Uyuni | ![]() | VIII | Crait | This salt flat served as the filming location for the Battle of Crait |
![]() | Guilin | ![]() (Guangxi) | III | Kashyyyk | Footage of limestone karst mountains which was later composited into the film for the backdrop of Kashyyyk[1] |
![]() | Dubrovnik | ![]() | VIII | Cantonica | The city served for the city of Canto Bight |
![]() | Tikal | ![]() | IV | Yavin 4 Rebel Base | Exterior panoramic shots over the Yavin 4 jungle towards the Massassi Temple[2][3] |
![]() | Eyjafjallajökull | ![]() | VII | Starkiller Base | Snow scenes on the surface of Starkiller Base[4] |
![]() | Reynisfjara | ![]() | R1 | Planet Lah'mu | A 20-minute drive from Vík í Mýrdal, Reynisfjara served as the setting for the planet Lah'mu.[5] |
![]() | Skellig Michael | ![]() | VII, VIII, IX | Ahch-To: Luke's refuge | Final scenes: Rey meeting Luke Skywalker for the first time[4] VIII: Scenes of Luke's hideout and Rey's Jedi training |
![]() | Dolomites and Misurina | ![]() | Solo | Vandor-1 | Footage of the snowy landscape of Vandor-1 |
![]() | Mount Etna | ![]() | 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.[6][7] |
![]() | Palace of Caserta | ![]() | I, II | Naboo Royal Palace | [8] |
![]() | Villa del Balbianello | ![]() | II | Naboo lakeside | Used for Anakin and Padmé's wedding scene overlooking Lake Como[9] |
![]() | Wadi Rum | ![]() | R1, IX | Planet Jedha and Planet Pasaana | Wadi Rum is a popular desert location, also used in Lawrence of Arabia. This location earned the Royal Film Commission – Jordan the Location Managers Guild Award for best Film Commission in 2017.[10] |
Laamu Atoll | ![]() | R1 | Planet Scarif | The Laamu Atoll makes up 82 of the 1,192 Maldivian islands. The atoll's Gan, which is one of the Maldives' largest islands, stood in for planet Scarif.[5] | |
![]() | Hardangerjøkulen Glacier and Finse 1222 Hotel | ![]() | V | Hoth | Exterior scenes during the battle of Hoth filmed on the glacier, and other scenes filmed from the hotel and surrounding area[11]
|
![]() | Fuerteventura in Canary Islands | ![]() | Solo | Savareen | Desert scenes on the surface of Savareen |
![]() | Plaza de España in Seville | ![]() | II | Naboo: City of Theed | [12]
|
![]() | Grindelwald | ![]() | III | Alderaan | Footage of mountain scenery which was later composited into the film for the backdrop of the planet Alderaan[13] |
![]() | Phang Nga Bay, near Phuket | ![]() | III | Kashyyyk | Aerial footage of limestone karst mountains which was later composited into the film for the approach over the Battle of Kashyyyk [14] |
![]() | Ajim | ![]() | IV | Tatooine | Mos Eisley Spaceport: Cantina (exterior), plaza, stormtrooper checkpoint, Docking Bay 94 alley | Ajim city center neighborhood (Al-Hunit Mosque district). Djerba island.[15][16] |
Amghar Mosque | ![]() |
IV | Tatooine | Obi-Wan Kenobi's house (exterior) | Ibadi mosque (10th century CE). Ajim coastal outskirts. Médenine Governorate. Decommissioned place of worship. Amghar Mosque footage replaced in Episode IV Special Edition (1997).[citation needed] | |
![]() | Chott el-Djerid | ![]() | IV, II, III | Tatooine | Lars Homestead (exterior) | Salt flats between the Kebili and Tozeur governorates. Film site area in northwest sector of Chott el-Djerid. West of Nefta.[17][16] |
![]() | Gour Beni Mzab | ![]() | IV | Tatooine | dune sea (lifepod crash site & krayt dragon skeleton) | Linear dunes system. Tozeur Governorate. West of Nefta. Film site location formerly associated with the name "La Grande Dune."[18][16][19][20] |
Eriguet dunes (Mos Espa large set area) | ![]() | I, II | Tatooine | Mos Espa marketplace & Mos Espa arena elements (grandstand, pit area, starting grid, viewing platform) | Eriguet dune system. Salt-saturated barchanoid dunes south of Chott el-Gharsa. North of Nefta. Tozeur Governorate. Mos Espa arena elements are located north and west of the Mos Espa marketplace set (known also as the Mos Espa large set).[21][16] | |
Eriguet dunes (Mos Espa small set area) | ![]() |
I | Tatooine | Mos Espa slave quarters backyards & Mos Espa outskirts | Eriguet dune system. Salt-saturated barchanoid dunes south of Chott el-Gharsa. North of Nefta. Tozeur Governorate. Located one dune east of the Mos Espa large set. Mos Espa small set remains are buried by dunes. Mos Espa small set was a reproduction of key elements found in the northwest corner of Ksar Hadada. Yardang field featured as film site area for Qui-Gon Jinn vs. Darth Maul lightsaber duel & Naboo spacecraft ramp scenes.[22] | |
![]() | Hotel Sidi Idriss | ![]() | IV, II | Tatooine | Lars Homestead (interior) | Located in Matmata al-Qadimal. Gabès Governorate. Hotel established in 1968. Consists of five interconnected subterranean (troglodyte) pit dwellings. Pit 2 is the film site location. Cave 9 in pit 2 is the Lars Homestead dining room.[23][16][24] |
Ksar Hadada | ![]() | I | Tatooine | Mos Espa slave quarters backyards & street | Amazigh fortified granary village (mid-19th century CE). Tataouine Governorate. One of the largest remaining ksour in southeastern Tunisia. Film site area located in northwest corner of the ksar.[25][16] | |
Ksar Ommarsia | ![]() | I | Tatooine | Mos Espa slave quarters street & Anakin Skywalker's hovel (exterior) | Amazigh fortified granary (early 19th century CE). One of three remaining ksour in Médenine city center. Médenine Governorate. Film site location often erroneously identified as Ksar Médenine.[26][16] | |
![]() | Maguer Gorge | ![]() | IV, I | Tatooine | Jundland Wastes, desert wasteland bluff overlooking Mos Eisley, Canyon Dune Turn (Mos Espa podrace circuit) |
Maguer Gorge located in Jebel Sidi Bouhlel mountain region. Dghoumès National Park. Tozeur Governorate. Often identified as Sidi Bouhlel Canyon due to the prominent shrine (Sidi Bouhlel Marabout) situated above the western ridge of the gorge. Nicknamed "Star Wars Canyon" by Lucasfilm crews. Numerous iconic scenes filmed inside, above, and at the entrance of the gorge. Lucasfilm returned to the gorge more than 20 years after filming Episode IV to shoot Episode I Tusken Raider sniper sequences for the Boonta Eve Classic podrace.[27][16][19][28] |
Ong Jemel outcrop | ![]() |
I | Tatooine | Sith landing desert mesa, Canyon Dune Turn (Mos Espa podrace circuit) | Ong Jemel (Arabic: "camel's neck"). Meteorized rock zooform. Chott el-Gharsa salt flats. Directly near the Eriguet dunes boundary. Tozeur Governorate. North/northwest side of the outcrop loosely resembles a camel's neck. No footage of this portion of the outcrop was featured in the film.[29] | |
Sidi Jemour Mosque | ![]() | IV | Tatooine | Anchorhead main road, Tosche Station (exterior), Mos Eisley perimeter | Ibadi mosque complex (16th century CE). Sidi Jemour coastal area. Groa outskirts. Médenine Governorate. Not a functioning mosque during Episode IV filming. Revived as a place of worship in 2013/2014. Extensive deleted Anchorhead/Tosche Station content filmed at this location involving Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter, Camie, and The Fixer. Only Episode IV footage featuring this location is the Mos Eisley perimeter transition plate.[30][16][31] | |
Rub' al Khali | ![]() | VII | Jakku | Desert scenes on the planet Jakku[32][4] | |
![]() | Bovingdon Airfield, Hertfordshire | ![]() (England) | R1 | Scarif | Battle scenes on the surface of Scarif[33] |
Canary Wharf | ![]() (England) | R1 | Imperial Base | London's Canary Wharf tube station was used as the setting for the Imperial security complex on Scarif. The Norman Foster-designed station's escalators and glass safety doors are particularly noticeable in the film.[5] | |
![]() | Derwentwater, Cumbria | ![]() (England) | VII | Takodana | Lakeside setting of Maz Kanata's Castle on Takodana; some Lakeland Fells in the background are altered with CGI[34][4] |
![]() | Ivinghoe Beacon | ![]() (England) | IX | Kef Bir | Hill location covered in grassland[35] |
![]() | Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean | ![]() (England) | VII | Takodana | Forest scenes on the surface of Takodana[36][4] |
![]() | RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire | ![]() (England) | IV, R1 | Yavin 4 Rebel Base | Interior of disused WWII airship sheds were used for the Rebel Base hangar scenes inside the Massassi Temple on the Fourth Moon of Yavin IV; Shed 1 was used in Ep.IV and Shed 2 was used for Rogue One.[37][38] |
![]() | RAF Greenham Common, Berkshire | ![]() (England) | VII, VIII | D'Qar | Disused aircraft revetments formed the backdrop for the Resistance Base[39][4] |
![]() | Thirlmere, Cumbria | ![]() (England) | VII | Takodana | Low-level X-Wing flight sequences over Takodana; the background was apparently flipped horizontally[34][4] |
![]() | Whippendell Wood, Cassiobury Park, Watford | ![]() (England) | I | Naboo forest scene | First meeting of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi with Jar Jar Binks.[40][41] |
![]() | Buttercup Valley (Imperial Sand Dunes) | ![]() (California) | VI | Tatooine | dune sea | Buttercup Valley is located in southeastern California ca. 10 miles from the Arizona border. Yuma (Arizona) is the closest town to the film site. Location used for the Great Pit of Carkoon scene. [42][43] Lucasfilm returned to this area in August 1995 to shoot additional action for the Episode IV Special Edition (1997). Footage of stormtroopers roaming the dune sea in search of droids was fused with the original content filmed in the Gour Beni Mzab dunes (Tunisia) in March 1976.[44][45] |
![]() ![]() ![]() | Death Valley National Park | ![]() (California) | IV | Tatooine desert |
Several Tatooine scenes:[2][46]
|
![]() | Del Norte County, CA | ![]() (California) | VI | Endor | Forest scenes on the moon of Endor |
![]() | Twenty-Mule Team Canyon, Death Valley, California | ![]() (California) | VI | Tatooine: Road to Jabba's Palace | Two Tatooine scenes:
|
Image | Location | Country | Episode | Setting | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fox Studios, Sydney | ![]() (New South Wales) | I, II, CW, III, R, VII, IX | |||
![]() | Ealing Studios | ![]() (England) | II | ||
![]() | Elstree Studios | ![]() (England) | II, III, R1, IV, V, VI | The largest Stage 6 was built specifically for The Empire Strikes Back in 1979 (since demolished) | |
![]() | Leavesden Studios | ![]() (England) | I | ||
![]() | Pinewood Studios | ![]() (England) | VII, R1, VIII, Solo, IX | ||
![]() | Shepperton Studios | ![]() (England) | III, IV | Stage H was used for the final awards ceremony at the end of Episode IV |
Behind-the-scenes documentaries: