Stepping onto Arrakis in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” involves traversing planetscapes both real and imagined. While certain sets were crafted meticulously backlot environments in Hungary, the crux of “Dune”’s grandeur lies firmly planted in actual locations across the globe.
Warner Bros., under pressure to fulfill “Dunes vast vision without crippling CGI,” turned their gaze to remote corners where natural wonders closely mirrored Denis Villeneuve’s fictional landscapes. Principal photography commenced a few hours north of Jordan within Jordan’s dramatic red hills, providing a realistic foundation for Arakkis’ unforgiving desertscapes. Wadi Rum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its soaring sandstone formations and star-gazing splendor, provided not just desert scenes, but also locations reflecting mystical aspects of Fremen culture.
Shifting focus to the Al Azra Mountains just south of the Arabian desert offered unique textures within Arrakis’ ecosystem—think craggy cliffs casting long shadows against orange-hued sand. As if echoing the intricacies of spice cultivation in “Dune,” real plants native to the UAE and its desert regions were painstakingly integrated into set design, ensuring authenticity on a fundamental level.
Further blurring the lines between film and reality are two unexpected gems: Hungary & Italy. These unexpected collaborators offer striking contrasts within Dune’s tapestry. Mátraszemle near Budapest’s bustling centre houses the film production studio responsible for constructing large, complex sets such as House Atreides castle, echoing a refined architectural ethos in harmony with their opulence before the Sandworms arrived in these films’ version of this story. Italy, on the other hand, brings a different flavor to Dune’s visual narrative. The evocative Tuscan countryside was meticulously selected — capturing sweeping vistas that hint at potential rebellion against spice-dependent powers – and provides a canvas for scenes showcasing complex social interactions between diverse factions.
It’s these globally dispersed production hubs—choosing natural wonders of distinct environments — that infuse Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” with a raw authenticity hard to achieve in virtual landscapes alone. This deliberate approach pushes the boundaries of filmmaking beyond Hollywood spectacle, grounding “Dune” in the grandeur and harsh realities of an imagined universe inspired by actual worldly wonders. It’s a testament to the ambition of Villeneuve’s vision, where each setting contributes not just visuals but also emotional depth, solidifying it something well-beyond a CGI showcase on our screens.
