Where Was Dune 2 Filmed (All Filming Locations)
The Dune 2021 presented us with visually striking scenes and remarkable performances by award-winning actors such as Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Christopher Walken, and more! This year, we will continue exploring Arrakis with none other than Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, and Florence Pugh! The internet is already buzzing with numerous clips swamping social media.
I immediately ran to the cinema once I found out about the Dune rerelease. And for what seemed like the longest week in my life, I waited for the release of the Dune Part 2. After watching the movie and all the interviews I could have found, I finally compiled the list of all the Dune 2 filming locations! So, if you have wondered, where was Dune 2 filmed, I am your gal.
Be it on the back of Shai-Hulud or with the scroll of your mouse, let’s race through the mesmerizing world of Dune Part 2!
Table of Contents
1. Dune Filming Locations in Europe
Origo Studios, Budapest, Hungary
Let me take you to a studio where it all began, in the heart of Budapest, the Origo Studios. Origo Studios holds a special place as one of the key Dune 2 filming locations. It was also one of the most important film sets in Dune Part 1. According to Villeneuve, the Arrakeen city elements were designed in Budapest on a soundstage the size of 2 football fields. The Studios also served as the backdrop for the pivotal Harkonnen arena scene in Dune Part 2.
It is also fascinating to note that amidst the creative chaos, some intricate props and furniture were crafted right here in Budapest. One of them was the detailed carpet we see in the Arrakeen Palace. Did you know you can actually walk through the studios online? Yes, the official studio’s website allows you to see each stage in 360 view!
Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre, Budapest, Hungary
The Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre is a dynamic venue for events, congresses, exhibitions, and cultural gatherings. Denis Villeneuve utilized one of its halls to create iconic settings such as Giedi Prime and the Imperial Tent for Dune Part 2. The center boasts numerous impressive halls, all of which you can explore through immersive 3D and 360-degree views on their official website.
Tomba Brion, Altivole, Treviso, Italy
One might assume there is not much to see in Altivole, and one will be wrong. Especially if that one is an architecture enthusiast. Moreover, this is a place of a remarkable modernist structure by Carlo Scarpa. Or, to be exact, a tomb. While watching Dune Part 2 in the theater, I immediately recognized the unique concrete vaults and circular windows of the Tomba Brion.
With its intricate architectural details, beautifully crafted stone walls, staircases, pathways, and contrast of light and shadow, this masterpiece was a perfect cinematic background. So when you rewatch Dune 2 (And believe me, you will want to. I already booked my second ticket!), pay attention to the background during the scene with the Emperor’s daughter (Florence Pugh) and Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother Mohiam. And yes, the tomb is open to the public, so you can appreciate its artistic and architectural value in person!
2. Dune Filming Locations in the Middle East
Al-Siq Gorge, Wadi Araba, Jordan
Did I painstakingly walk through Google Earth to find this location? Yes, I did. Do I regret it? Not even in the slightest. If you look closely at the background when Chani appears in Paul’s dreams and leads him through a canyon (or a gorge), this is the place! When I was in the theater, I believe I saw this mesmerizing formation again at the beginning of the movie with Stilgar, Paul, and his pregnant mother.
So, when does Dune 2 come out? Well, Dune 2 has already been released in cinemas on March 1, 2024, later than the initially planned release date of November 3, 2023. The sequel was delayed to March 15, 2024, due to actors’ and writers’ strikes, but was later rescheduled two weeks earlier to its current release date.
Liwa Desert, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
After binge-watching many interviews with Denis Villeneuve and the production team on YouTube, I learned that most exterior scenes were filmed at real-life locations. One of them was also the vast Liwa Desert. If you remember my blog on Dune Part 1 filming locations, Liwa also appeared in the first installment of the movie. Naturally, you will spot this mesmerizing vast land in many scenes with the Fremen.
If there are no mountains in the background of the scenes, rest assured the desert is Liwa Desert. However, if you spot rocky formations with a strangely reddish hue in the distance, that would be Wadi Rum. One of the most memorable scenes with the Liwa Desert in Dune Part 2 is Chani and Paul sitting at the top of a dune embracing.
Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan
As I mentioned earlier, any scene featuring mountains in the background was filmed at the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan. Just like Liwa Desert, Wadi Rum appeared in both the first and second part of the movie. The production team shot most of the scenes there, particularly those with Fremen traveling through canyons and gorges. One of the most impressive and significant scenes shot at Wadi Rum was the aerial views of Arrakeen.
Although there is no such city in real life, the concept artists designed a small-scale model of Arrakeen and placed it between the existing mountain ranges. Could they have been inspired by the Wadi Rum Village set between mountains? I believe they were. Moreover, in Part 2, we get a very clear view of one of the mountain ranges of Wadi Rum in a scene where the Harkonnens bombard it.
3. Dune Filming Locations in Africa
The Namib Desert, Namibia
Who else was excited to see Paul’s sister Alia Artreides? Throughout the movie, we can see Paul having multiple visions. One of them is him talking to his unborn sister (Anya Taylor Joy) on a beach near a desert. Luckily, there are not that many beaches in the world, where a desert touches the ocean. So, it was relatively easy to find our last Dune 2 filming location, the Namib Desert.
The Namib Desert is one of the world’s oldest deserts, stretching along the Atlantic coast of Namibia. The desert is famous for its towering dunes, some of which are among the highest in the world. Sounds like a perfect fit for a movie called Dune, right? 🙂
