In early 2025, Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan chose Morocco to shoot some scenes of his latest film, an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. The film was scheduled to hit theaters in July 2026, with big-screen stars like Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron.
Anyone visiting Ouarzazate, or Marrakech and Essaouira, at that time may have been lucky enough to run into these giants of international cinema in the street. And those who didn’t will surely have plenty of other chances.
For many years Morocco has been one of the favorite locations of Hollywood studios and many others. In recent years the Kingdom of Morocco has hosted the sets of major international film and TV productions, so much so that in 2001 a film festival was founded right in Marrakech.
Many films and TV series have been shot partly or entirely in Morocco, and if you’ve fallen in love with this country, or plan to visit soon, I recommend watching them to relive the thrill of seeing those places, or to get a sneak preview.
Being a sought-after location for directors from all over the world has brought Morocco huge economic benefits, along with the growth of film-related experiential tourism, especially in Ouarzazate, nicknamed “the Hollywood of Africa“.
Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Africa
At the gateway to the desert, surrounded by arid, haunting landscapes that seem carved by wind and time, lies one of Morocco’s most surprising and least-known cities. Despite its relatively isolated location, Ouarzazate has become a landmark for international cinema over the past decades, thanks to the beauty of its natural scenery, the unique light that fills the sky for hours and the wide, still-authentic open spaces, perfect for recreating historical, mythical or fantasy settings.
The magic of cinema has been stopping here since the 1960s, but it was with blockbusters like Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, The Sheltering Sky, The Last Temptation of Christ and, more recently, Game of Thrones and Kingdom of Heaven that Ouarzazate earned a permanent place in film lovers’ imaginations.
The Hollywood of Africa is home to Atlas Studios, one of the largest open-air film studios in the world, where visitors and Moroccans alike can still admire the original sets and backdrops used in films, walking among reconstructed ancient Egyptian temples, Roman walls and biblical palaces.
Those who visit Ouarzazate on one of my tours will not only explore an authentic, fascinating city in southern Morocco, but also step into a world suspended between reality and fiction, where every corner can become a scene, every street a shot, every building a set. And at a time when experiential tourism is ever more central, this blend of travel and cinema offers a unique opportunity: to feel like the star of an epic tale set in the sands of the Sahara.
But what makes Ouarzazate so special and so loved by the film world isn’t just its studios and the versatility of its spaces, but also the extraordinary richness of its historic and architectural heritage, offering natural sets that transport visitors to faraway eras. Just think of the Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, a fortified village declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which alone would be worth the trip.
Aït Benhaddou isn’t just a beautiful place you absolutely must visit: it’s also one of the most used and recognizable sets in international cinema, thanks to its crenellated towers and dusty alleys. Its grandeur, its light and its timeless atmosphere seem to defy time and make every story more believable, more powerful, more real.
Beyond this gem, the whole area around Ouarzazate is dotted with kasbahs, oases and lunar landscapes that lend themselves perfectly to becoming striking locations, often without major set changes. This is Ouarzazate’s great strength: a town that offers filmmakers and visitors untouched glimpses of the world, full of history and beauty, able to stir emotions through the sheer power of stone, silence and desert light.
If you’re curious travelers, its charm will let you discover the real Morocco while recognizing places you’ve already seen on the big screen. Imagination and reality will merge, and you’ll go home culturally enriched and full of dreams.
The new frontier of cultural tourism: traveling on set
If more and more travelers ask me to visit Ouarzazate and its surroundings because they’re drawn to its film side, it’s partly because what they find when they arrive is often even more beautiful than they expected. You won’t just see the places where that film you loved was shot: you’ll experience a region that, while tied to fiction, has kept an authentic soul, made of Berber villages, local markets and copper and wood artisans. Not to mention a welcoming people, proud of their land.
Film-related cultural tourism is a powerful way to enhance Morocco’s artistic, economic and cultural identity. It’s a kind of tourism that isn’t just about a few photos to post on social media, but a way to visit film locations alongside authentic experiences, excursions and conversations with tour operators, since our mission isn’t just to tell you about the films, but also the true stories of the people who live in these lands.
Morocco is one big open-air set, spread between desert and camera, medinas and storytelling, reality and fiction. Never going there at least once in your life? That would be pure madness.
Lisa
