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Five Famous Music Videos and Movies Shot in Dubai

Updated: October 12, 2021
 By Pri

The UAE is no stranger to the spotlight and music videos and movies being shot in Dubai are no exception. In this blog, we will talk about five famous music videos and movies shot in Dubai.

Which are the famous songs shot in Dubai?

Imagine Dragons- Thunder

Imagine Dragons, the famous band came up with a single called Thunder which was shot completely in Dubai.

On March 16, 2017, the Imagine Dragons official Instagram account posted a photo of the group with the caption “In Milan. Now Dubai bound to film something special...”

That week, the American band teased fans in the city with photos of themselves enjoying the desert, leading many to speculate about the reason behind their visit. An Instagram post of a slate against the backdrop of the Burj Khalifa finally satiated the fans’ curiosity — the group was in Dubai to film a new music video.

 

The video was primarily filmed in the Dubai Design District. Despite being shot completely in black and white, it manages to capture the beauty of the city with shots of popular areas like Shaikh Zayed Road, City Walk and Dubai Marina.

If you are interested in Art and want to check out the thriving art scene in Dubai, why not take Dubai By Foot’s Art, Jewels and Chocolate Tour?

Wiz Khalifa – So Much

In May 2016, the rapper Wiz Khalifa shot the music video to his song So Much in Dubai. The video shows the rapper hanging out with tigers, feeding giraffes and riding an ATV in the desert.

 

Cardi B- Bodak Yellow

American rapper Cardi B's Grammy-nominated song "Bodak Yellow" took the world by storm soon after its release in June 2017. It topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for three consecutive weeks. And yes, it was shot in Dubai!

Cardi B shot parts of the music video in Dubai's deserts.

Which are the famous movies shot in Dubai?

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The movie that grossed over USD 700 million dollars, featuring Tom Cruise was shot in Dubai.

Many scenes were shot in the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

At the time of filming, the building hadn’t been completely finished so unused floors were taken over, windows removed and those stunts were terrifyingly real.

The chase through the sandstorm ended at Dubai’s wave-shaped Meydan Bridge.

 

Shot in 2011, this Paramount Pictures movie was a huge hit and opened doors to more shootings in Dubai. Tom Cruise was highly praised for doing the stunt on the Burj Khalifa himself. He put himself in the harness dangling 1,700 feet off the ground! During the eight days of shooting the sequence, only a cable with the thickness of a piano wire separated the actor from going from one of Hollywood's biggest draws to one of its biggest cautionary tales.

Want to visit Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa, check out our private Downtown Dubai Architecture Tour.

Happy New Year

The king of Bollywood- Shahrukh Khan is loved by all in the UAE. He calls Dubai his second home an featured in Dubai Tourism’s #BeMyGuest Video that was an instant hit.

The movie Happy New Year was shot in 2014. Most of the scenes in Dubai were designed to be shot in or around the famous Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah. The shooting went for a month but the team at Atlantis started preparations months ago to cater to the script.

Khan’s crew and cast filmed all over the hotel – at Nasimi Beach, in the grand lobby, the Ambassador Lagoon, on the Royal Beach, at the helipad, and at Dolphin Bay. All the while the hotel was still running and functioning as usual for guests and visitors.

Many guests thought they’d walked into a time machine when they found the lobby bedecked in festive decorations.

 

Tax rebates are offered to people who come to make movies/ videos here, so along with the stunning architecture and desert landscape, filming in the UAE is a very attractive option for film-makers. Who knows what kind of movies we can expect to arrive here next, judging from what we have above, we have bets on some more futuristic-style action flicks.

About The Author

Pri

Pri is a true believer in the Rule of Three - she lives between Dubai, Bombay and Washington DC, speaks three languages and has 3 kids under 3. She graduated from Connecticut College and has a Masters Degree from New York University. Pri is a licensed Dubai tour guide, travel blogger, art aficionado, foodie and curious to check out all things new in her city. Pri has been part of the Free Tours By Foot team since 2015 and loves to make customized itineraries for her guests.
Updated: October 12th, 2021
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