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Star Wars locations
Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Queen Amidala’s Royal Palace
Caserta in Italy is home to one of the residences of the royal Bourbon family of Naples, but for Star Wars fans it is above all the palace of Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman)! It is in this magnificent 47,000 m2 building that George Lucas chose to install his cameras. Rather than recreate this set digitally, he chose to actually shoot in this place which is, according to him, “an incredible piece of architecture” and which would represent a titanic work to try to restore its beauty digitally. This magnificent palace can now be visited for around 15€ to walk in the footsteps of the Queen of Naboo!
Address: Caserta Palace, Viale Giulio Douhet, Caserta, Italy
Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
Amidala Rest Residence
Young Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) accompanies Queen Amidala to her resting place to protect her. This is also where they kiss for the first time! Located in Italy on the shores of Lake Como, this villa was built in 1787 on the ruins of a Franciscan convent and offers a panoramic view of the Alps and the lake that will delight fans. It has also been used for the shooting of many films, including Casino Royale, and it is possible to visit it. For his role as Anakin, Hayden Christensen trained three to four hours a day in weapons training. He even came close to defeating one of Australia’s greatest swordsmen in a duel.
Address: Villa Balbianello, Lenno, Italy
Star Wars, episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Site of the Battle of Kashyyyk
You will certainly recognize this bay from many movies. Phang Nga Bay in Thailand near Phuket was even declared a national park in 1981. Cave sites, unusual shapes, and breathtaking landscapes form the backdrop to the famous aerial battle of Kashyyyk in Episode III. The on-site shooting was done with a small crew, while the majority of the scenes in this component were shot in studios in Sydney.
Address : Phang Nga Bay, Thailand
Star Wars, Episode IV: New Hope (1977)
House of Luke Skywalker
In addition to the desert, the cameras were able to capture some very real places. This is the case of the Lars’ farm, where young Luke Skywalker lives at the beginning of the film. A troglodytic residence built by Berbers centuries ago, the hotel has now become a flagship tourist attraction, known as the Star Wars Hotel. The first episode of one of the most lucrative sagas in the world, Star Wars: A New Hope is one of the highest grossing feature films of all time.
Read moreStar Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Planet Hoth
The Empire Strikes Back begins with blood-curdling scenes: the terrible frozen planet Hoth! It is in Norway, and more precisely at the glacier with the sweet name of Hardangerjøkulen, near Finse, that the team chose to shoot the scenes. You might as well say that you’ll have to be well-equipped to get there and not count on a friend to get you into the belly of a Tauntaun to keep you warm! Alec Guinness, interpreter of Obi-Wan Kenobi, shot all his scenes from The Empire Strikes Back in just six hours.
Address: Hardangerjøkulen, Fylkesveg, Bjordal, Norway
Star Wars, Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
Desert of Jabba the Hutt
Everyone remembers the two poor droids on a mission to reach Jabba the Hutt’s hideout. They have to cross dry, wild terrain to help Luke rescue Han Solo. These scenes were shot in Death Valley, more precisely at Twenty Mule Team Canyon. Little anecdote, the two actors playing C3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) didn’t like each other at all, and his scenes where there are only two of them and they have to stick together must have been particularly painful for them, given their resentment.
Address: Twenty Mule Team Canyon, 20 Mule Team Rd, California, USA
Star Wars, Episode VII: The Awakening of the Force (2015)
New rebel base
The rebel base for Episode VII is in England. This is the Greenham Common Cold War Airbase. Opened in 1942, the base was an essential element during the Second World War and during the Cold War for the Royal Air Force. In 1982, it was also surrounded by 30,000 women holding hands around the base to protest the decision to install American cruise missiles there. It’s been closed since 1997. It was also used as a filming location for the famous show Top Gear, Fast and Furious 9 or for a video clip of Beyoncé!
Before the movie was released, a crazy rumor ignited the web. The actress Karen Gillian had shaved her head for her role of Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy and would have donated her hair for the shooting of Episode VII. In fact, the team made Karen Gillian’s wig and did not use her real hair in the film.
Address: Greenham Common Cold War Airbase Control Tower, Greenham, Thatcham, UK
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Scarif Undergrounds
As soon as the first trailer was released, fans quickly recognized the Canary Wharf subway station among the underground settings of the planet Scarif, from where the Imperial Army supervises the construction of the Black Star. Director Gareth Edwards has confirmed this information. When he worked at British television, he used this station every day and found it particularly futuristic. He promised himself that if he ever made a science-fiction film, he would shoot at least one scene in it. In 2013, Canary Wharf was voted Londoners’ favourite resort.
Address: Canary Wharf Station, London, United Kingdom
Star Wars, episode VIII: The Last Jedis (2017)
Luke Skywalker Island
A new sublime landscape and especially the clap at the end of episode VII: the famous scene where Rey finds Luke Skywalker, who disappeared many years ago. This scene was shot in Ireland, near the island of Skellig Michael. This island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and its lighthouse has been in operation since 1800. Just like Daniel Craig in Episode VII, four other international stars donned stormtrooper costumes in this opus. Singer Gary Barlow, actor Tom Hardy and Princes William and Harry. The four of them accompany Finn (John Boyega) in an elevator.
Address: Skellig Rock Great, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Planet Saraveen
Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) lands on this planet after successfully escaping from the clutches of the Empire. It is on this land that a refinery to exploit coaxium is located, as well as rebels, who will soon be dear to the heart of the smuggler. It took the team 12 weeks to build the sets and thousands of prefabricated parts shipped by boat. The second largest island of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura has been inhabited since the 1st millennium BC. Today it has a population of just over 116,000.
Address : Island of Fuerteventura, Spain
Star Wars, Episode IX: Skywalker’s Ascension (2019)
Planet Pasaana
An important festival takes place on the planet Pasaana. Shot in the Wadi Rum desert, it was also used for the filming of Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Martian, (2015) and Aladdin (2019).
Address: Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan
The Fantrippers Buying Board
LEGO® 75301 Star Wars Le X-Wing Fighter de Luke Skywalker
Go to war against the Death Star with this gorgeous X-Wing belonging to Luke Skywalker!
Comes with R2-D2, Princess Leia and General Dodonna!
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By Damien Duarte
Passionné par la culture pop depuis son enfance, ses références vont de Donald Duck à Batman en passant par Marty McFly. Fantripper dans l'âme, voyager sur les traces de Ghostbusters, James Bond ou des héros de romans comme Cotton Malone fait partie d'un séjour idéal et réussi !