Atlas Film Studios stands a few kilometres northwest of Ouarzazate on the road toward Marrakech, and it is one of the reasons the town is nicknamed the Hollywood of Morocco. Opened in 1983, it is among the largest film studios in the world by land area, a sprawling desert backlot where the dry climate, clear light and dramatic scenery have drawn international productions for decades.
Guided walks lead you through standing sets left behind by the films shot here — Egyptian temples, Roman and Tibetan facades, mud-brick city gates and other oversized props built for productions including Gladiator, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven and Kundun. Many of the sets are made of plaster, polystyrene and painted wood rather than stone, and part of the fun is seeing how convincingly flimsy materials read as ancient monuments on screen.
Because it is a working studio, access is by guided tour only and the sets on view change as productions come and go. A private driver makes it simple to time your arrival with a tour slot and to combine the studios with the Cinema Museum and Kasbah Taourirt in town, all within a short drive of one another.
Highlights
- Standing Egyptian, Roman and Tibetan film sets on the desert backlot
- Oversized props and facades from Gladiator, The Mummy and Kingdom of Heaven
- Seeing how plaster and painted wood are built to read as ancient stone on screen
- Guided walks explaining how the desert light and scenery draw film crews
- The wide Ouarzazate desert backdrop that frames the studio sets
- Easy pairing with the Cinema Museum and Kasbah Taourirt in town
Best Time to Visit
Come in the morning to beat the desert heat and align with a guided tour slot; spring and autumn are most comfortable, and weekdays tend to be quieter than weekends.