Top 9 Movies Filmed in Moab, Utah by US Box Office  

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Lights, Camera, Action! Explore the Filming Locations of Moab, Utah

You’re sitting at home, feeling a tad bored and in need of some excitement. Maybe you’re a movie aficionado, scrolling through your Netflix queue, hoping to find something captivating. Or perhaps you’re simply itching to escape the mundane and embark on a journey to discover new places. Well, friend, have I got an exhilarating idea for you!

Imagine strolling through the very streets and landscapes that have graced the silver screen. Moab, Utah, a picturesque destination known for its awe-inspiring red rock formations and stunning desert vistas, has served as the backdrop for numerous film productions over the years. And guess what? You can visit these incredible filming locations and add a touch of movie magic to your own travel adventures!

Key Takeaways:

  • Moab, Utah, has been featured in various movies and offers a unique opportunity to explore the filming locations.
  • Visiting these sites allows you to experience firsthand the beauty and grandeur that inspired filmmakers.
  • Exploring movie filming locations adds an exciting twist to your travel itinerary, making it an unforgettable experience.

Picture this: standing right where your favorite actors once stood, immersing yourself in the same cinematic atmosphere that enthralled audiences worldwide. As you wander through Moab’s enchanting landscapes, you’ll be transported to the scenes that captivated you on the big screen. Every turn, every vista, promises a moment of déjà vu, as you relive the magic of these iconic movies.

Feel the surge of adrenaline as you hike through ancient canyons, just as the heroes and heroines did in their quest for adventure. Let the wind whisper the secrets of their performances, allowing your imagination to take flight. With each step, you’ll uncover the hidden stories behind the films and their unforgettable characters.

But it’s not just about relishing in the memories of the past; visiting these filming locations also opens up a world of exploration and discovery. You’ll uncover breathtaking natural wonders, encounter fascinating wildlife, and immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of Moab. It’s the perfect blend of fantasy and reality, offering you an experience like no other.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your camera, pack your bags, and get ready for a blockbuster adventure in Moab, Utah! The lights are shining, the stage is set, and it’s time for you to take center stage in your very own travel movie.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the list below to discover the movies filmed in Moab, Utah. It’s your opportunity to see the magic in motion and embark on an unforgettable journey through both the big screen and real-life wonders. Lights, camera, adventure!

Transformers: Age of Extinction – US Box Office: USD$1,104,054,072

Director: Michael Bay

Main Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Jack Reynor, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Titus Welliver, and Sophia Myles

Release Date: June 27, 2014 

Filming Locations: Detroit, Michigan, USA; Moab, Utah, USA; Hong Kong, China; Pontiac, Michigan, USA; Chicago, Illinois, USA

Main Plot: Humanity believes that all alien robots pose a threat due to the conflict between Autobots and Decepticons that destroyed Chicago. So CIA agent Harold Attinger creates a unit whose primary mission is to find every single one. However, it turns out that they have assistance from a different extraterrestrial robot that is looking for Optimus Prime. An old truck is purchased by robotics expert Cade Yeager, who, upon closer inspection, believes it to be a Transformer. He discovers Optimus Prime when he turns it on. Later, men from the unit appear in the area searching for Optimus. While helping Yeager and his daughter Tessa escape, the hunter is after them. They look into what’s going on after Yeager discovers via the technology he stole from the men that Joshua Joyce, a technological tycoon and defense contractor, is involved in the situation.

Famous quotes:

Lockdown: “Welcome back to the Knights Terminus, Prime.”

Optimus Prime: “You have disgraced it…”

Lockdown: “Join your fellow rebels, fugitive scum! It’s for the rarest of specimens, the worst of the worst. It’s taken centuries, but I’ve collected all the Knights, but you. “

Optimus Prime: “I am slave to no one.”

Lockdown: “All this species mixing with species, it upsets the cosmic balance. The Creators, they don’t like it. They built you to do what you were told.”

Sequels: Transformers: The Last Knight; Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Fun Fact about Transformers: Age of Extinction:

  • Cade Yeager was offered to Dwayne Johnson, but he was rejected due to time constraints with Hercules (2014).
  • Mark Wahlberg requested that his young kids, Ella Rae Wahlberg, Michael Robert, Brendan Joseph, and Grace Margaret, play Transformers fans in this film.
  • For some of the film, Bumblebee’s alternate mode is a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS automobile, followed by a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro concept.

Mission: Impossible II – US Box Office: USD$215,409,889

Director: John Woo

Main Cast: Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandiwe Newton, Richard Roxburgh, and John Polson

Release Date: May 24, 2000 

Filming Locations: Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah, USA; Ashton Park, Mosman, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Moab, Utah, USA

Main Plot: The story is about a terrible death resulting from the deadly Chimera virus unless you receive the cure. A disgraced I.M.F. agent named Sean Ambrose kills the developer of Chimera (Dougray Scott) and takes the antidote. The Impossible Mission Force (I.M.F.) recruits Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise, a skilled and endearing man. Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) is a stunning woman who has shared experiences with Ambrose. If they accept the assignment, they must breach a fortified lab by climbing walls, dodging bullets, and sending Hall. Trying to gather information while undercover so that Hunter can defeat Chimera. 

Famous quotes:

Sean Ambrose: “Darling, you won!”

Nyah Nordoff-Hall: “I suppose I did.”

Sean Ambrose: “What made you pick her? That old nag’s never won a thing.”

Nyah Nordoff-Hall: “A Thief in the Night.”

Sean Ambrose: “Ha! Say no more.”

Sequels: Mission: Impossible; Mission: Impossible III; Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol; Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation; Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Fun Facts about Mission: Impossible II:

  • Participation Newton was forced to quit Charlie’s Angels due to significant production overruns (2000).
  • Tom Cruise, who got a hold of the final cut, locked John Woo out of the editing room.
  • John Woo was filming a Nike commercial in Brazil when he received a call from Tom Cruise, wanting to meet about directing this film.
  • Except for John Woo, every director in the brand has been asked to return the remake of their films.
  • According to Robert Towne, much of his screenplay was based on action scenes that John Woo expressed an interest in directing in the film.

Austin Powers in Goldmember – US Box Office: USD$213,307,889

Director: Jay Roach

Main Cast: Mike Myers, Beyoncé, Seth Green, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Sterling, and Verne Troyer

Release Date:  July 26, 2002

Filming Locations: Greystone Park & Mansion – 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA; Moab, Utah, USA; Hollywood Sign, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Arena – 6655 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA; South Bank, Lambeth, London, England, UK

Main Plot: Austin’s psychotic arch-enemy Dr. Evil and their vile little sidekick Mini-Me have escaped from a maximum security prison and are causing trouble. English agent Nigel Powers is also in danger when the perilous criminal trio teams up with the perverse, gold-loving villain Goldmember to conquer the globe. After the happenings of Austin Powers in Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), Powers and gorgeous undercover spy Foxxy Cleopatra set off on a crazy time-traveling rescue mission to search for answers in the distant year 1975. But the query still stands. Can the 1997 film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery solve the case and rescue the day?

Famous quotes:

Austin Powers: “Mr. Roboto is lying to us.”

Foxxy Cleopatra: “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Austin Powers: “I open-mouth kissed a horse once.”

Foxxy Cleopatra: “Say what?”

Austin Powers: “That’s something you don’t know.”

Sequels: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me; Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery; Austin Powers 4

Fun Fact about Austin Powers in Goldmember: 

  • Heather Graham played Felicity Shagwell again in an incident that was eventually cut. 
  • The role of Nigel Powers was considered for Sir Sean Connery.
  • The first break of this film, directed by Jay Roach, was three hours long.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – US Box Office: USD$197,171,806

Director: Steven Spielberg

Main Cast: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, Denholm Elliott, John Rhys-Davies, and River Phoenix

Release Date: May 24, 1989 

Filming Locations:  South Park Avenue, Arches National Park, Utah, USA; Moab, Utah, USA; Al-Khazneh, Petra, Jordan; Figure 3 Ranch, Amarillo, Texas, USA; Guadix, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Main Plot: Famed anthropologist Indiana Jones is about to embark on his most incredible adventure yet. Indy discovers that his father, Henry Jones Sr., sent him a mysterious notebook after he receives it in the mail. The notebook contains hints and a map that points to the fabled Holy Grail, whom Indy’s father has spent his entire life seeking. When he vanishes, Indy must continue his father’s search for the Holy Grail where he left off. Little does Indy know that his Nazi adversaries also search for the Holy Grail for their sinister purposes. Marcus Brody and Sallah may now assist Indy in saving his father as he sprints to the Holy Grail before Nazis can seize it.

Famous quotes:

Sallah: “Please, what does it always mean, this… this “Junior”?”

Professor Henry Jones: “That’s his name.”

Professor Henry Jones: “Henry Jones…”

Professor Henry Jones: ” …Junior.”

Indiana Jones: “I like “Indiana.”

Sequels: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Fun Fact about Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:

  • The identical four thoroughbreds used in the closing scene outside the temple were personally loaned to the film by Jordan’s King Hussein.
  • For the production, 2,000 rats were bred. It was necessary to produce them specifically because normal rats would have been infested with disease.
  • During the entire Zeppelin sequence, Sir Sean Connery and Harrison Ford wore no trousers. It was shot in a very hot production company, and Connery wouldn’t like to overheat.

Con Air – US Box Office: USD$101,117,573

Director: Simon West

Main Cast: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Colm Meaney, Nick Chinlund, and Mykelti Williamson

Release Date:  June 6, 1997 

Filming Locations: Ogden Airport – 3909 Airport Road, Ogden, Utah, USA; Wendover, Utah, USA; Determination Towers, Mill Canyon, Utah, USA; Moab, Utah, USA; Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Main Plot: Cameron Poe is greeted by a few drunk regular customers at the club where Tricia works. He dressed as an Army Ranger visiting his wife in his home state of Alabama. When one of the drunks is inadvertently killed, Cameron is sentenced to seven years in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter. He is now qualified for parole and can return to his wife and daughter’s house. Unfortunately, Cameron is forced to go on a prison jet with some of the most dangerous criminals in the nation. They take control of the aircraft and decide to flee the country. Cameron must figure out how to hinder them while continuing to cooperate. The criminals, commanded by Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom, are being stopped. At the same time, United States Marshal Vince Larkin works to free Cameron.

Famous quotes:

Little Girl: [sitting in front of her at her children’s tea party table] “Are you sick?”

Garland Greene: “Why do you ask?”

Little Girl: “You look sick.”

Garland Greene: ‘I am sick.”

Little Girl: “Do you take medicine?”

Garland Greene: “There is no medicine for what I have.”

Fun Fact about Con Air:

  • The film is decided to dedicate to Phil Swartz, an impacts specialist who died on set when a rigged plane crashed and crushed him.
  • “How Do I Live” was given an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
  • Many Nicolas Cage fans consider Face/Off (1997) and The Rock (1996) to be his “holy trinity” of action movies.

The Lone Ranger – US Box Office: USD$89,302,115

Director: Gore Verbinski

Main Cast: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, William Fichtner, Tom Wilkinson, Ruth Wilson, and James Badge Dale

Release Date: July 3, 2013 

Filming Locations:  Moab, Utah, USA; Monument Valley, Utah, USA; Monument Valley, Arizona, USA; Shiprock, New Mexico, USA; Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, USA

Main Plot: A young boy named Will looks up to the legendary Lone Ranger. He meets the ancient Comanche Tonto at a carnival at a San Francisco fair in 1933. Tonto continues to describe his interactions with the Old West explorer. Lawyer John Reid uses the unfinished Transcontinental Railroad, operated by railroad magnate Latham Cole, to go back to Colby, Texas, in 1869. Paying no attention to Reid, Butch Cavendish and Tonto are also being transported by the railroad. They were captured by Dan Reid, a Texas Ranger brother of John Reid, and are currently being transported for execution. Cavendish’s gang, who also derails the train, saves Butch. After that, Tonto is sent to jail. They pursue the Cavendish gang along with six other people when Dan deputizes John as a Texas Ranger.

Famous quotes:

John Reid: [On top of the train] “That’s the end of the line.”

John Reid: “What about the passengers?”

Tonto: “They jump.”

John Reid: “There are children on board!”

Tonto: “All jump.”

Sequel: The Lone Ranger 1957

Fun Fact about The Lone Ranger:

  • The painter Kirby Sattler’s painting “I am Crow” inspired Johnny Depp’s make-up and costume.
  • The movie was nearly canceled due to production setbacks such as poor weather, wildfires, a herpes zoster outbreak, and the untimely death of a crew member.
  • To reduce the overall cost of the film, Gore Verbinski, Jerry Bruckheimer, Johnny Depp, and Armie Hammer each deferred 20% of their salaries.

John Carter – US Box Office: USD$73,078,100

Director: Andrew Stanton

Main Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Thomas Haden Church, and Mark Strong

Release Date: 20 June 1980

Filming Locations: Moab, Utah, USA; Shiprock, New Mexico, USA; Big Water, Utah, USA; Coal Mine Canyon, Tuba City, Arizona, USA; Utah, USA

Main Plot:  A Civil War veteran named John Carter, attempting to live a normal life in 1868, was invited to join the Army. He turned it down, leading to his imprisonment. He flees and is sought after. When they finally run into some Indians, a firefight starts. Carter seeks refuge in a cave. While there, he encounters someone that is carrying a medallion. When Carter touches it, they enter a realm where other things can leap tremendous distances. Later, he meets creatures he has never encountered before. He faces a woman who aids in his realization that he is on Mars and informs him that some commotion is occurring.

Famous quotes:

John Carter: [Seeing the carvings in the temple of the Tharks] “Can you read it?”

Dejah Thoris: “It’s old scripture.”

John Carter: “What’s it mean?”

Dejah Thoris: “Don’t rush me. “To those who seek the solace of eternity, may journey down the river through the sacred Gates of Iss and find everlasting peace in the bosom of Issus”.

John Carter: “The Gates of Iss.”

Sequel: John Carter: 100 Years in the Making

Fun Fact about John Carter:

  • The crew discovered a 60-foot-long sauropod dinosaur skeleton while going to film at Big Water in Utah. 
  • The privileges to the novels have since reverted to the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate, which remains interested in making the books into a successful film franchise.
  • Willem Dafoe agreed to play Tars Tarkas even though he thought it would be fun to act while wearing pants and walking on stilts.

Octopussy – US Box Office: USD$67,893,619

Director: John Glen

Main Cast: Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn, Kabir Bedi, and Steven Berkoff

Release Date:  June 10, 1983

Filming Locations: Monsoon Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India; Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK; Santa Clara, Utah, USA; RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England, UK; Moab, Utah, USA

Main Plot: James Bond is sent on a mission to discover how someone else operates. While holding a fake Fabergé egg, the dying agent falls out of the window of the British Embassy. The egg itself is offered for sale. He finds out that other people are also interested in it after it was purchased by wealthy Afghan Prince Kamal Khan, currently residing in exile. Kamal Khan meets with General Orlov, a psychotic Russian general who wants to conquer Europe. Bond’s suspicions increase as the Russian government prepares to subdue its armaments. He suggests that they fake the country’s greatest works of art. Orlov and Khan intend to launch an atomic blast base for aeronautics on a U.S. target. Orlov, Khan, and Bond are connected by the beautiful but mysterious female smuggler known only as “Octopussy.” Will she save Bond or put an end to his life?

Famous quotes:

James Bond: “What can I say Miss Moneypenny, except to say that she is – as attractive and, eh, – as charming…”

Miss Moneypenny: “As I used to be?”

Miss Moneypenny: “You’re such a flatter, James.”

James Bond: “Oh, Moneypenny, you know there never has been and – there never will be anybody but you.”
Miss Moneypenny: “So, you’ve told me.”

Fun Facts about Octopussy:

  • The eyeball in the filled sheep’s head that Louis Jourdan eats is made of marzipan.
  • Sir Roger Moore was underdiagnosed with heart disease while filming. 
  • The venomous Blue-ringed Octopus is extremely dangerous. It makes Tetrodotoxin, which it uses to defend itself. 

Breakdown – US Box Office: USD$50,159,144

Director: Jonathan Mostow

Main Cast: Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan, M.C. Gainey, Jack Noseworthy, and Rex Linn

Release Date: May 2, 1997 

Filming Locations: Sedona, Arizona, USA; Moab, Utah, USA; 240 St E, Lancaster, California, USA; American River, Sacramento, California, USA; Barstow, California, USA

Main Plot: A couple driving across the nation narrowly avoids hitting a truck. The truck driver is hostile, but after the couple apologizes, they leave. Unfortunately, on a deserted road, their jeep breaks down. While the husband stays in his car, the wife gets a ride from a passing vehicle to get to a local diner and call for assistance. After being shocked to discover that the power connections had been altered, the husband drove to the restaurant to find that no one had seen his wife. He starts moving, assuming that his spouse must have left for the nearby town, but when he spots a trucker, he urges him to stop. The trucker insists he hasn’t seen the pair, and after a sheriff and I inspect the truck, we release the driver. The sheriff tells the husband that perhaps his wife should have left him and recommends he file a missing person’s report at the neighboring station.

Famous quotes:

Sheriff Boyd: “Mr. Taylor, did you, uh, by any chance, have a beef with your wife today?”

Jeff: “What has that got to do with anything!”

Sheriff Boyd: “Well, for starters, maybe there’s a possibility that she could have left you.”

Jeff: “I don’t – I don’t believe this! My wife did not leave me!”

Sheriff Boyd: “Mr Taylor, I’ve seen it a hundred times. You put two people in a car long enough, they’re gonna go at it.”

Fun Facts about Breakdown:

  • Kurt Russell has been airlifted into and out of filming locations so he could spend the night with his relatives in Los Angeles.
  • While going to drive through Las Vegas with his wife, writer and director Jonathan Mostow had the idea for the film.
  • M.C. Gainey stated that Earl was the darkest character he had ever played in a film. 

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