The natural environment of the Canary Islands, the incredible variety of landscapes and picturesque locations have made the archipelago one of Hollywood’s favourite places to make movies.
Jennifer López is currently filming her next big movie on the Canary Islands. “The Mother” is a film starring López, Gael Garca Bernal, Joseph Fiennes, and Omari Hardwick that will be released in Europe in 2022. The filming has taken place in locations such as the streets of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s historic neighbourhoods of Vegueta and Triana.
Over the years, many major Hollywood production companies have chosen the archipelago to film their blockbuster movies. Huge blockbuster movies such as Fast and Furious 6, Jason Bourne and Rambo V, as well as countless television series, have been shot in the area.
Amongst all of the films made in the Canary Islands, the sequel of Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros) starring Gal Gadot is the most prominent. This film, shot in 2018, used locations such as the Dunas de Corralejo natural park and El Jablito beach in Fuerteventura. According to the Fuerteventura Film Commission, it had an economic impact of over 20 million euro on the island, including contracts for local companies.
Movie firms have also established film sets in places such as the Teno and Masca massifs in Tenerife, a remote place used for Clash of the Titans in 2009. In June 2017, the movie Han Solo: A Star Wars Story (Disney) was made in Fuerteventura’s Pecenescal valley as was Robert Zemeckis’ movie Allied (2016), starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. At the end of 2018, producers chose different parts of Tenerife to host shooting for the fifth part of the Rambo saga. Local people were surprised by Sylvester Stallone wandering through the centre of Santa Cruz during a two week break from filming.
In terms of series, The Witcher – a Netflix blockbuster released in 2019 – was shot in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, and La Palma. Executives chose to set up their cameras in settings such as La Zarza, El Cedro, La Galga and Bosque de los Tilos. In addition, the Doctor Who team selected Lanzarote to film Kill the Moon. Locations included the Timanfaya National Park, Parque Natural de los Volcanes, and La Geria. They came back a year later to shoot the first two episodes of season nine in Tenerife. After this they returned to film the season finale in Fuerteventura.
Black Mirror also chose the Canary Islands as a set. In the sixth episode of the third season there are images from the municipality of Tejeda, in Gran Canaria. In the third chapter of the fourth season, you can also see Lanzarote landmarks such as Los Hervideros, Playa Bermeja and other sections of the Parque Nacional de los Volcanes.
ENDS