Star Wars: Episode 7 to Shoot in Abu Dhabi?

star wars


JediNews were the first to share the rumor that Episode 7 is already filming in Cairo and that Abu Dhabi is another possible destination. Now THR adds more to that rumor…
 

From THR:

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Star Wars: Episode VII will shoot in and around the city-state, which is part of the United Arab Emirates, beginning mid-May. Sources also say it would be a four-week shoot.

The J.J. Abrams-led production is seeking to re-create the desert planet Tatooine, which was the home of Anakin and Luke Skywalker as well as the headquarters of Jabba the Hutt. And let’s not forget that the Jawas and the Tusken Raiders also roamed its wastes and rocky crags.

The desert planet — also home to podracing and Mos Eisley cantina — appeared as a location in every Star Wars movie except The Empire Strikes Back. The original Star Wars and subsequent movies created Tatooine in Tunisia. Sources say the political climate in the North African country is currently too dangerous to house a big Hollywood production. 

Abu Dhabi is becoming a destination for high-profile studio shoots and the move comes after Universal’s Fast & Furious 7 crew traveled to the city as the tentpole resumed production in April. 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

40 thoughts on “Star Wars: Episode 7 to Shoot in Abu Dhabi?

  • April 11, 2014 at 6:22 am
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    I don’t mean to be funny, but first nobody can find a missing Malyasian passenger plane crash.. Now nobody can locate a supposed Lucasfilm camera crew in a desert.

    • April 11, 2014 at 8:47 am
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      The plane is on a military base near The Maldives, don’t you follow anything but American/Western news?

    • April 11, 2014 at 10:59 am
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      No because I live in America douchebag.

    • April 11, 2014 at 8:24 pm
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      The internet is not American exclusively, you idiot. Besides, so much for freedom in America if you can’t access news from other places around the world.

  • April 11, 2014 at 7:51 am
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    Maybe Nermal will be in ep7.

  • April 11, 2014 at 8:13 am
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    In my opinion, they should just cancel making this part 7 because there are too many fans that are too picky, and i think many of you because of your pickyness will not be happy with part 7…. The OT fans want to see one last time to see the big 3….. The PT fans and EU fans seems too not care for it…… The EU fans want to see the EU characters in it, however the OT fans seem to not care for it……. PT fans seems to be caught in the middle of warfare between OT and EU fans…..Many argue about Luke should have a son, or not have a son….. Many want Han and Leia to have twins, and many do not….. It just seems fans from the different ages are stuck in their generation and only want to see what they want….. I think in the end, part 7 will have a good script, and lots of action…. But in the end, it just won’t satisfy you like your favorite episode did……. So my question is, will the OT and EU fans ever make peace ?… Or will this drag out so far and long that with so much arguing, that many of you won’t even notice episode 7 ?….. If we don’t come together as a team, we will all crumble in the last moments in the theatres, and then we all will have to listen to more crap from Star Trekkies about how great their world is, while the SW family continues to argue about which plot should have been done for part 7……… Star Wars family, we need to join each other once again before the dark side consumes us once and for all……………………….. Dec 18 2015 Judgement Day……

    • April 11, 2014 at 9:31 am
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      The object of the new trilogy is to launch SW for a new generation, not to appease hardcore fans who number among a tiny percentage of the potential cinematic audience. The main drive is to market a product applicable to the tastes of families in 2015. There’ll be something for everybody, but while the PT and OT will of course be referenced, they are nothing more than part of the recipe and will fade into history as each successive film takes us further into the future of the SW galaxy.

    • April 11, 2014 at 10:11 am
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      When the lights go dark, it’s just going to be me and the movie. I won’t care if you like it or not.

    • April 11, 2014 at 10:56 am
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      at John Caliber…. i hear what u saying about the saga moving forward…. but what im saying, is that there are too many picky SW fans who want certain things done their way…. The new generation who follows the new saga will be fine… however, your EU and OT fans just cant agree with anything about what the plot should be…. and thats sad for you to say that we should basically forget the OT and EU fans, because those fans are the most loyal of them all….. the PT fans are really stuck in their own world, but the OT and EU fans have much more in common than many realize….. and we SW fans will never fade into history… it will live forever… i just wish the OT and EU fans would just make peace…period…. thats my point John…

    • April 11, 2014 at 12:25 pm
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      EU fans are also OT fans… thats for sure. If there is a clash is between some PT and some OT fans.

      I believe the vast majority of Starwars fans are OT lovers and PT tolerants.

    • April 11, 2014 at 3:35 pm
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      Just cancel it because of loser fanboys? What a stupid remark. Although these same loser fanboys are the reason George Lucas Retired and wouldn’t do these films himself.

    • April 12, 2014 at 12:40 am
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      I do not agree that the Sequel Trilogy should be canceled in due to piss-off spoiled fanboys, but I strongly agree with your perception among the JUVENILE and IMMATURE fans that is consisted of the Star Wars Fan Base (including myself). The Original Trilogy is phenomenal in due to its story plot and creation of the cosmic saga, the EU Books provide of some of the most sci-fi fantastic stories, and the Prequels are the reason why Star Wars has endured for so long. Opinions may differ, but these three aspects are nevertheless the fact why Star Wars is as big as it is right now.

    • April 12, 2014 at 10:18 am
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      George Lucas brought the negative vibe on himslef. No one else did. Thats what he gets for overdoing Jar Jar Binks, not letting a real director shoot the film, too much CGI, and not letting others involved with the script like he did in the original trilogies. Don’t blame fans because of Lucas failure to let others work on it. That’s why the prequels was boring at times. Great idea, but boring plots. And Lucas should have known better, but he ignored it and thats why he gets negative vibes from many fans. He brough all that on himself.

  • April 11, 2014 at 8:32 am
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    “The desert planet — also home to podracing and Mos Eisley cantina — appeared as a location in every Star Wars movie except The Empire Strikes Back.”

    I don’t remember seeing Tatooine in Revenge of the Sith.

    • April 11, 2014 at 9:07 am
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      RoTS featured Tatooine at the end when Obi-Wan delivered Luke to the Lars family.

    • April 11, 2014 at 10:45 am
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      I know. I remembered about half an hour ago *falcepalm*

    • April 12, 2014 at 1:08 am
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      you mean “face palm”.

    • April 13, 2014 at 5:26 am
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      No you mean Face Plant!

  • April 11, 2014 at 10:27 am
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    An entire frickin’ universe at their disposal to explore, and they keep going back to Tattooine. I’m hoping that there’s going to be some kind of “vergence in the Force” story element to the point of going there AGAIN, because, honestly, it’s getting tired. Think of all the worlds that we know exist in cinematography canon – Mon Calamari, Correllia, Ryloth…. What about a short stint on one of the ones mentioned or visited in TCW series, or perhaps the homeworld of one of the many species seen in the movies (Kit Fisto, Yoda & Yaddle, Nien Nunb, etc etc.)? Or, *gasps in amazement* maybe we could use our imagination a little and actually create a new world to base some of the story on?

    • April 11, 2014 at 1:14 pm
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      Yeah the whole of episode 7 is going to be on Tatooine. Yup, they won’t explore anywhere else.. In fact, episode 8 and 9 will be based solely on Tatooine too.

    • April 11, 2014 at 2:58 pm
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      Then why are they filming also in an ICY area (Norway?) for a possible HOTH location

    • April 11, 2014 at 3:35 pm
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      Stop crying fanboy.

    • April 11, 2014 at 4:07 pm
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      oh my god. you are so right. Episode 7 is going to be terrible. They aren’t going to explore any new places at all because of a slight chance we may see Hoth and Tatooine too. PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS!! ..

    • April 12, 2014 at 1:10 am
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      Don’t forget the possible new planet environment that may be in Scotland.

    • April 12, 2014 at 11:18 am
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      Aren’t all climates either hot or cold? There are like what like seven on this planet, I guess the Galaxies of Star Wars are only allowed one desert and arctic climate according to some?
      This Ice planet does not necessarily have to be Hoth.
      I’m sure Tatooine is in the movie. And a whole planet, even desolate as it is, does have more populated areas than we have seen.

  • April 11, 2014 at 12:28 pm
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    Well, if there’s a bright center to the universe you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from. “Luke Skywalker” Then why even go back, there are so many more planets we haven’t even seem on film. Stop wasting flim time on Tatooine, i don’t even want to see it again.

  • April 11, 2014 at 1:16 pm
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    lol I always love it when rumours come out that something old is returning, and then watching all the idiots freak out as though the whole film is going to be based on pre-established stuff and we won’t see anything new at all.

    • April 11, 2014 at 1:56 pm
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      I agree. The only reason JJ is (or maybe, I’m not jumping to conclusions here) including Tatooine is so us OT fanatics “can keep our childhood memories alive”. Get a grip people. There are certain fans out there that don’t seem to realize that Tatooine is one of the most important planets in the Star Wars universe (EU fans keep your opinions out of this, I’m talking about the films). Of course we’ll see new stuff. George Lucas managed to make the prequel trilogy and he included Tatooine, why cant JJ Abrhams?

    • April 11, 2014 at 4:04 pm
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      ..Oh Duke Groundrunner I am so sorry for pointing out the idiocy. Please. Have mercy on me ..

  • April 11, 2014 at 2:13 pm
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    Man we are idiots. I am switching over to being a fan of Star Trak

  • April 11, 2014 at 2:41 pm
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    Yes, yes, the desert.
    In the deep dark of space..
    Luke draws it one last time..

  • April 11, 2014 at 6:19 pm
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    Again, sets are already up. I guess there aren’t any die hard enough fans willing to pack up and travel to a secluded desert in a far away land to nab photos.

    (Though surely some construction worker Morocco/Abu Dhabi has an instragram/twitter account.)

    • April 30, 2014 at 1:06 pm
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      Hello. I am from Melilla. North of Ouarzarzate.
      I would like to ask you. Where did you get this information?.

  • April 12, 2014 at 11:35 am
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    I always thought they would go back to Tatooine for Ep 7. It goes with the suggestion that the sequel trilogy wants the frontier feel that we had in the OT. Wasn’t there also a rumour a while ago that they were rebuilding the cantina set?

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