Old sandstone entry gate to the excapital of Malta, known also from "Game of Thrones." (Photo Credit: Lukasz Machowczyk / iStock)

Tour Blockbuster Movie and TV Locations in Malta

June 20, 2022 Vacationer Staff

We have featured the gay-friendly paradise of Malta on Vacationer a number of times. Ranked number 1 by the ILGA-Europe (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association) with respect to LGBT rights, Malta is one of the safest places in the world for us to travel. Besides the jaw-dropping beauty of the landscape, there are so many reasons to spend your hard-earned vacation time on this tiny island nation. You can head there to enjoy the Mediterranean climate, celebrate Pride, enjoy the eye candy, and now to tour some of your favorite blockbuster film locations.

Inspired by our recent look at the filming locations of Jurassic Park Dominion, here are a few more cinematic sites to explore.

HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones featured the Maltese islands in several scenes, with the most impactful one being the wedding scene between Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen, with Malta’s Azure Window arch in the background. The Azure Window can be reached just off the shores of the Maltese mainland, on the island of Gozo.

Malta's famed Azure Window was featured in HBO's Game of Thrones. Photo by Stuart Zintilis/ Pixabay — Malta’s famed Azure Window was featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones. Photo by Stuart Zintilis/ Pixabay

Landmarks like Fort St. Elmo and the Port of Valletta are featured in several scenes in season three of Netflix’s Queen of the South, as are many other things Maltese residents would recognize from their normal, day-to-day life. A local market serves as the backdrop for a walkthrough shot of the main character, and many genuine Maltese phrases are used throughout, giving fans a taste of the islands’ true culture.

The Oscar-winning movie Gladiator, starring Russel Crowe, features Malta’s imposing Fort Ricasoli, panoramic views of the Grand Harbour in Valletta, and the Valletta Ditch in Saint Michael’s Bastion. At the same time, the equally star-studded Troy with Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt transformed landmarks like Fort Ricasoli into a convincing portrayal of locations in the Ancient Greek Era.

Fort Ricasoli is a popular blockbuster film location with Troy and Gladiator being shot here. — Fort Ricasoli is a popular blockbuster film location with *Troy* and *Gladiator* being shot here. Photo by Lara Calleja, Wikipedia Commons

Much of Apple TV’s Foundation was filmed at Malta Film Studios in Kalkara. This futuristic sci-fi series, based on Isaac Asimov’s eponymous trilogy of novels, did not just showcase Malta’s scenery, but also employed hundreds of locals who worked on the set in several episodes.

Another movie starring Brad Pitt, World War Z, was also shot in Valletta, which was transformed into Jerusalem for some of its most impactful scenes. Pitt was brought back to the island once more in 2015 to film By the Sea with his then-wife Angelina Jolie, shot in Gozo’s Mgarr ix-Xini.