As Mad Max: Fury Road barrels into theaters, many fans are anxious to see where the much anticipated film was shot. Much of the movie was filmed in Namibia and South Africa, with a few scenes taking place in Australia.
Namibia is known for its vast, open landscapes and breathtaking scenery, making it the perfect location for George Miller’s epic. Portions of the film were shot in Swakopmund, which is situated along the coast on Africa’s southwestern shoreline. Other spots featured in the movie include Sossusvlei Desert Lodge and Spitzkoppe, a granite mountain located near Swakopmund. The scene where Immortan Joe proclaims himself “king of the wasteland” was filmed at a location known as Deadvlei, located in Sossusvlei.
Gutgash Minefields
Located in the heart of South Africa’s Karoo desert, served as the backdrop for much of the movie’s action sequences. The Minefields are said to be one of the most forbidding and dangerous places on earth, making them a perfect location for a post-apocalyptic film. Scenes were also shot at various locations in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The Namib Desert
Served as the backdrop for much of Mad Max: Fury Road. The arid desert landscape also served as inspiration to George Miller during filming, who said, “Namibia’s barren beauty, its surreal otherworldly landscapes and sheer scale were all defining factors in creating the world…I knew I had found home.”
The Australian Outback
While not a primary filming location, a few scenes were shot in the Australian Outback. The scene where Max meets Furiosa for the first time was filmed at Queensland’s Broken Hill, which served as an ideal stand-in for the post-apocalyptic world of Fury Road.
Fans of the Mad Max franchise will no doubt appreciate the effort that George Miller put into filming Mad Max: Fury Road. The amount of time, money and care that went into bringing the film to fruition is unprecedented for a modern action movie. It’s no wonder that it took 15 years for this sequel to be made!
Death Valley, California, USA
The movie “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” (1985) was shot in Death Valley, California. The area of the famous Racetrack Playa (a dry lake with very flat ground) was used for some important scenes about halfway through the film. A community called Stovepipe Wells is visible on the horizon during these shots. The scenes of the wrecked Boeing 747 were also shot in Death Valley. Another scene where Max jumps a car over a canyon was shot at Zabriskie Point.
Ica Province, Peru
Another location is Ica Province, Peru. The scenes where the truckers chase after Max and Goose in their Mack Truck were filmed outside of Lima, Peru, near a set of strange rock formations called Puente Suroeste (Western Bridge) and Paraiso Escondido (Hidden Paradise). According to “George Miller: A View from the Road”, the production designer, Colin Gibson, “fell in love with Ica…and found it to be an incredibly versatile location.” The stunts involving the truckers and their vehicles were also shot here.
Eastern Oregon and Washington State, United States of America
One of the first reported production locations was in Eastern Oregon. The area is known for its tall Ponderosa Pine trees, desert shrubs and basalt rock formations, making it an ideal place to show a post-apocalyptic world. Stunt work was also done on the Yakama Indian Reservation near the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The production then moved to Washington State, filming in the vicinity of Mount Rainier and the Cascade Range. A scene where Max and Furiosa drive into a pack of War Boys on motorcycles was shot at the base of Mount Adams.
Conclusion
If you are ever traveling in any of these locations, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the filming sites. The world may be different in Mad Max’s future, but perhaps a few landmarks will remain unchanged, comforting us that no matter how bad things get, the Earth endures.