Filming Locations Guide: Where was The Martian filmed?

The Ridley Scott movie The Martian was filmed in Wadi Rum, with the studio work done in Budapest.

Considered one of the world’s most outstanding desert landscapes (of this world at least), Wadi Rum was the selected filming location to play Mars.

This is a good occasion to check out some fabulous images from this isolated protected area, located in the south of Jordan.

Wadi Rum is a popular movie set location. From the classic Lawrence of Arabia to Prometheus (also from Ridley Scott), the beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage place has seduced many other film productions.

The famous lost city of Petra is only about two hours driving north. Petra was the capital of the Nabateans, an advanced society of traders that mastered the water.

Indeed, they had to be very good to be able to settle in this land, around two thousand years ago. Our spaceman is not going to have it easy either.

Take it easy, help is only 140 million miles away.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox and Sillie R

The most distinctive landmark of Wadi Rum is the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, although most people can only count five.
Image by Loops San

If you look closer, you can appreciate the photoshopping work to remove the small bushes that appear in the picture above.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

The legendary Lawrence of Arabia led the Bedouin people through this hostile and labyrinthine valley to launch a surprise attack on the Turkish army.

Lawrence had promised freedom to Bedouin Arabs: in fact, the Turks were expelled, but they were replaced by the British.
Image by Argenberg

The remains of the mission to Mars become an improvised campsite for the Martian.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

A funny thing to do in Wadi Rum is to roll down from the top of a dune -here are quite high- croquette style if it's possible.

But for security reasons, it's better if our spaceman stays at home playing Minesweeper.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Wadi Rum is a valley that seems to be cut into the sand, like this giant mushroom.
Image by Tom Olliver

Many scenes for the movie, including interiors, have been filmed in Korda Studios in Hungary, near Budapest.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

NASA experts collaborated with filmmakers for advice in all the aspects related to science and technology.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

I'm never going to forget waking up in the middle of the night in the desert, having a sparkling Milky Way as a roof.
Image by Sharnik

I'm wondering how is the experience on Mars.
Image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Maybe we should ask Curiosity.
Image by NASA