What do the Eternals, Han Solo, and Wonder Woman have in common? Those are examples of films shot on Fuerteventura Island. In this article, you will get to know 20 movies directed on this beautiful Island.
Recently Fuerteventura has been seeing many celebrity faces strolling through Corralejo´s bars and restaurants. It´s pretty normal to bump into a celebrity of your favorite Netflix series while taking a walk through the mystic volcanoes here. But has this been a recent trend of seeing film crews, known faces, and paparazzi? When you look back at the island´s cinematic history, Fuerteventura has been the favorite location for many TV commercials of Mercedez- Benz, BMW amongst other car brands, given the island´s roads are voted as one of the best driveways in the world. Not only has Fuerteventura been iconic for ads but has been the preferred location for some of the world´s biggest film franchises like Marvel, DC, and Star Wars. From Ridley Scott to Christian Bale, Gal Gadot to Angelina Jolie and Sacha Baron Cohen, all have shot on the intriguing island of Fuerteventura. Not only films, but also many series have been shot on Fuerteventura, for example one of the biggest is new Apple Tv’s new series “Foundation”
1. "Women of Tenerife island supplying coal to ships of the squad" (1896)
The film that is considered the first one shot on the Canary Islands is “Women of Tenerife island supplying coal to ships of the squad” made in 1896. It was shot by Gabriel Veyre, who was sent by the Lumière brothers to use their new invention to record the World.
2. & 3. "Tour of the cruise Diana" "The Fortunate Islands"
Most of the films made here in the first half of the 20th Century were documentaries showing natural beauties, customs of the Island, and folklore. Among the most breathtaking films, we can find: “Tour of the cruise Diana” or “The Fortunate Islands“.
4. "When the Dinosaurs ruled the Earth" (1970) - 5.1/10
In the year 1968 the film director Val Guest settled on this Island to shoot the first blockbuster movie ever made here, which is “When the Dinosaurs ruled the Earth” this movie came out in 1970. The leading actress Victoria Vetri creates the character of Sanna, a leader and a warrior who has to fight against the dinosaurs.
5. "Operation Ganymed" (1977) - 6.3/10
This movie tells a story about a spaceship that comes back to Earth after several years of exloration and finds the Earth completly desolated. They land in what they believe is Mexico and travel North to find out what happend to this planet
6.“12 + 1, a metaphysical comedy” (2012) - 5.3/10
In the movie “12 + 1, a metaphysical comedy” the director used the Dunes of Corralejo as a part of his film. They became a desert where picturesque characters wandered, searching for something that only “the Master” knew.
7. "The Dictator" (2012) - 6.4/10
One of the most ironic, if not the most ironic film “the Dictator” was also shot here, in Fuerteventura. To be more precise, a different director again used the Dunes of Corralejo, and El Cotillo, to represent the Republic of Wadiya, ruled by the main character Admiral General Haffaz Aladeeni
8. "Exodus: Gods and Kings" (2014) - 6.0/10
Now it’s time for a film that, without a doubt, put the Fuerteventura in the spotlight of major productions. I’m talking about the “Exodus: Gods and Kings” directed by Ridley Scott. In this film, he chose the base of Las Peñitas to create a small town for his main character, Moisés, played by Christian Bale, and his wife Sefora would live. He also used Cofete to become the Red Sea, the Casa de los Coroneles, and many more corners of Fuerteventura.
9. "La Isla del Viento" (2015) - 7.2/10
The film “La Isla del Viento” tells a life story of a Bilbao writer Miguel de Unamuno during his exile on this Island for his opposition to the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera.
10. "Mine" (2016) - 5.8/10
Another film worth mentioning is “Mine” in which the Dunes of Corralejo portrayed a hot desert of the Middle East. The main character here is the soldier played by Armie Hammer; he is trapped after stepping on a landmine and has to survive the dangers of this desert while facing psychological problems.
11. "The Lighthouse of the Whales" (2016) - 6.7/10
“The Lighthouse of the Whales” is another film that used a part of Fuerteventura for shooting; this time, the coast of this Island is the Argentine Patagonia.
12. "Allied" (2016) - 7.1/10
In the film “Allied” starring, for example, one of the most known actors of the late 20th and 21st Century, Brad Pitt, Corralejo’s territory and all of the surroundings of the enclaves of the Enchanted ravine became the French protectorate of Morocco in 1942
13. "Solo" (2018) - 5.0/10
A true story about Álvaro Vizcaíno portrayed in the film “Solo” from 2018, where the main character found himself in an awful situation, with lots of agony, while fighting for his life for 48 hours with a broken hip and injured body, and all of that just because he wanted to find the perfect wave.
14. "The Man who killed Don Quixote" (2018) - 6.3/10
In the surreal story of “The Man who killed Don Quixote” an old man is convinced that he is Don Quixote and mistakes Toby, the main character, for his faithful squire, Sancho Panza.
15. "Solo: A Star Wars Story" (2018) - 6.9/10
Now we are getting ready to start with the biggest of franchises. Beginning with the “Star Wars” saga. The “Solo: A Star Wars Story” used the areas of Agualiques as a base for the location of this movie. Moreover, in the other films from this saga, Fuerteventura territory is used as the planet Corellia.
16. “4L” (2019) - 5.9/10
Under number 16 is hidden the one film made in cooperation with Netflix, the “4L“. Three friends, Tocho, Jean Pierre, and Ely, travel all the way from Spain to Mali to see their dying friend. Most of this film was shot on Fuerteventura.
17. "The Kill Team" (2019) - 6.0/10
“The Kill Team” is a film in which a young American soldier has to face a moral dilemma while being in Afghanistan with the disturbing behavior of his commanding officer. In this film, the beautiful territory of Fuerteventura made perfect Afghanistan deserts and mountains.
18. "Wonder Woman 1984" (2020) - 5.4/10
“Wonder Woman 1984“, another film from an enormous franchise that was partly shot in Fuerteventura; is represented as the main character’s home, a fictional country called Themyscira. To be more precise, they used Jandía and the Dunas de Corralejo Natural Park. Also, this Island is one of the places where Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, has to travel in her fight against evil.
19 “Eternals” (2021) - 6.4/10
Last but not least, the biggest franchise of them all, “Marvel” also shot a movie here, on Fuerteventura. I’m talking about “Eternals“, one of the newest films from this franchise starring, for example, Angelina Jolie. It tells a story of ancient aliens secretly living on the Earth for thousands of years. The shooting took place, for instance, in Las Peñitas, the Pájara, and other enclaves of the Island.
20. "Jump Out" (2023)
We are ending the list with the film “Jump Out“. It is supposed to be released in 2023 and will also be shot on Fuerteventura. It will tell a story about a simple cliff jump that turned into a nightmare and a fight for survival on a remote island with no way out.
Of course, many more films have been shot in Fuerteventura, but you can read about the biggest or the most important ones here. As you can see, movies became a part of Fuerteventura’s history. Most of them used the beautiful natural terrains of this Island as an advantage. To see these places come to Fuerteventura. If you liked this article and want to see Fuerteventura news, don’t hesitate to read more on our website, such as the top 10 all-inclusive hotels in Fuerteventura. Subscribe to Fuerteventura Times and have a look on our social media to stay updated with information, news, and events straight from the locals of Fuerteventura.
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