36 Films Shot in Malta to Watch Before Visiting
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I wanted to write a list of films set in Malta. But since there is roughly two of those in the world, I have settled for films shot in Malta. Because surprisingly, there is a hec of a lot more of those, including all of these Hollywood Films set in Malta.
If you’re wondering which the two are, it’s Simshar (2014) and Limestone Cowboy (2017). If you only watch two films shot in Malta before visiting the country, make it these. They are set and filmed in Malta and are actually in the Maltese language.
If that’s not your bag, I have a list of 34 more. They mostly only use Malta as a film location and not as the setting for a story but it still counts! It’s the closest you’ll get, anyway. Malta needs much, much more love in the world cinema film industry.
36 Films shot in Malta you MUST watch
1. Malta Story (1953)
Director: Brian Desmond Hurst
Language: English
2. Casino Royale (1967)
Director: So. Many. People.
Language: English
3. A Twist of Sand (1968)
Director: Don Chaffey
Language: English
4. Hell Boats (1970)
Director: Paul Wendkos
Language: English
5. Pulp (1972)
Director: Mike Hodges
Language: English
6. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Language: English
7. Midnight Express (1978)
Director: Alan Parker
Language: English
8. Popeye (1980)
Director: Robert Altman
Language: English
9. Clash of the Titans (1981)
Director: Desmond Davis
Language: English
10. Never Say Never Again (1983)
Director: Irvin Kershner
Language: English
11. Trenchcoat (1983)
Director: Michael Tuchner
Language: English
12. Black Eagle (1988)
Director: Eric Carson
Language: English
13. Gladiator (2000)
Director: Ridley Scott
Language: English
14. The Emperor’s New Clothes (2001)
Director: Alan Taylor
Language: English
15. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Language: English
16. Swept Away (2002)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Language: English/Greek/Italian
17. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
Director: Stephen Norrington
Language: English/German/Italian
18. Troy (2004)
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Language: English
19. A Different Loyalty (2004)
Director: Marek Kanievska
Language: English
20. Munich (2005)
Director: Steven Speilberg
Language: English/Hebrew/German/Arabic/Italian/French
21. A Previous Engagement (2008)
Director: Joan Carr-Wiggin
Language: English
22. Agora (2009)
Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Language: English
23. The Devil’s Double (2011)
Director: Lee Tamahori
Language: English
24. Conan The Barbarian (2011)
Director: Marcus Nispel
Language: English
25. Gulf Stream Under the Iceberg (2012)
Director: Jevgeņijs Paškevičs
Language: Russian
26. World War Z (2013)
Director: Marc Forster
Language: English
27. Captain Phillips (2013)
Director: Paul Greengrass
Language: English/Somali
28. Simshar (2014)
Director: Rebecca Cremona
Language: Maltese
29. By the Sea (2015)
Director: Angelina Jolie
Language: English/French
30. Assassin’s Creed (2016)
Director: Justin Kurzel
Language: English/Spanish
31. The Promise (2016)
Director: Terry George
Language: English
32. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
Director: Michael Bay
Language: English
33. Love to Paradise (2017)
Director: Julian Galea
Language: English
34. Papillon (2017)
Director: Michael Noer
Language: English/Spanish
35. Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Language: English/French/German/Arabic
36. Limestone Cowboy (2017)
Director: Abigail Mallia
Language: Maltese/English
And those are some films set in Malta to watch before visiting! Have you seen any of the films I’ve listed? Did you know some of them were even filmed in/set in Malta? Let me know in the comments below!
Read next:
Hollywood Film Locations in Malta: Gladiator, Captain Phillips & More!
Thank you , I’m going to start watching the list you gave . Plus we’re huge fans of GOT and want to learn more on what happened there ?? Mmmm plus we just came back from visiting Malta love it ! Now to go back again with movie knowledge and be able to actually see the places and remember.
Thanks so much for your comment, Tanya! From what I remember, it was mostly just that the Maltese authorities were unhappy with the way the GOT production treated the natural landscape. Happy movie watching! 😀
Thanks for the article. I am Maltese born (raised and live in Australia) and devour anything connected to Malta, especially movies set or filmed there. I have seen most of the ones listed here and a few I wasn’t aware of. I was actually holidaying in Malta when Gladiator was being shot and got to see some of the action. Was also living there for a short time when World War Z and By the Sea were being filmed (Brad and Angelina were being hounded by the local paparazzi!).
There are more films shot in Malta than many people might think, aren’t there! That’s fantastic you were there during the filming of Gladiator, possibly one of the most beloved films ever shot on Malta.
I was stationed aboard a US Navy vessel homeported near Palau, Sardinia. In October of 1976 we steamed away for a liberty cruise, giving the crew for The Spy Who Loved Me, time to film the arrival of 007’s spy car on the local ferry and its submarine antics at the nearby Club Med. No mistaking the wharf where nightly liberty began for many of us.
That’s a fantastic story Peter 🙂 Thank you for sharing!