Summary

• Norway's scenic Stadlandet stood in for lush Caladan, portraying the oceanic world beautifully in Dune's early scenes.
• The harsh desert planet of Arrakis was brought to life through Wadi Rum in Jordan, showcasing its rocky landscapes and vast deserts.
• Practical shots in Abu Dhabi captured the Fremen homes in Arrakis, with Liwa Oasis and Rub'al Khali serving as backdrops.

The various locations where Dune was filmed helped to bring Frank Herbert's epic sci-fi novel to life. The movie earned several awards and accolades, including Academy Awards, in production design, visual effects, and cinematography. It can't be overlooked that Dune’s location scouts picked incredibly picturesque scenery throughout the world. Every spot helped to capture the authentic feel of the vastly different lands described in the original source material.

The story of Dune begins on the lush oceanic planet of Caladan and follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he and his royal family make their new home in the hostile yet powerful desert planet of Arrakis. Director Denis Villeneuve creates an engrossing experience, both with the rich story and the visual style of the movie. The latter details are heavily aided by perfect locations that give an otherworldly feel without having to solely rely on CGI to create the universe of Dune.

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Stadlandet, Norway

Locations Used For The Planet Of Caladan

For the film, the lush oceanic world of Caladan where Paul Atreides and House Atreides call their ancestral home, was filmed in Stadlandet, Norway. Caladan is often described by its bodies of water and heavy rainfall, which make its landscape rich with greenery and vegetation. As a result, the filmmakers chose Norway, known for similar traits, to convey the rich planet.

It makes for a stunning location for the early scenes of the movie and serves as a powerful contrast once House Atreides arrives on Arrakis. It shows how out of their natural element they are and the danger that awaits.

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Filming For The Deserts Of Arrakis

One of the key aspects of Arrakis is the endless desert. Arrakis is seen as a harsh, dry planet with mountainous rock formations and sandstorms. The sea of sand and rocks gives the impression that few could survive in such demanding lands. The spice in Dune also comes from the desserts of Arrakis which is why the planet is so valuable to outsiders. While CGI was used to help enhance the massive desert feel of the planet, this location also took the Dune production to Wadi Rum, Jordan, a protected desert wilderness in Aqaba, in the Southern part of Jordan.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Fremen Homes

Additionally, a number of practical shots in Arrakis were filmed throughout Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Scenery backdrops of Arrakis were filmed at The Liwa Oasis, a large oasis in the Western part of the country. Visuals of the rock shelters used by the Fremens, the indigenous people who inhabit Arrakis, were shot in the Rub' al Khali desert. Some exterior shots of the ornithopters flying through the air were caught by filming helicopters flying over the UAE and used as references for the aircraft.

Budapest, Hungary

The Attack On Arrakis

Much of the Arrakeen invasion was filmed in Budapest at Origo Film Studios on their backlot. Many of the explosions and views from the interior shots of Dune's dragonfly-like ornithopters, required a controlled space where the production team could build sets and physical effects. This is also where the massive number of extras in costumes were filmed for the invasion.

The beautiful and picturesque settings chosen for Dune were proven to add to the visual success and acclaim the film has received. Dune: Part Two's filming locations took production back to some of the same locations, including Budapest while also adding new locations like Altivole, Italy to further expand the world in which the story takes place.

Key Release Date

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  Dune 2

  Release Date:

  2023-11-03