11 Hollywood movies you didn’t know were filmed in Mexico

Published August 30th, 20211

Undoubtedly the diversity of Mexico’s landscapes, allows it to become the perfect setting for multiple Hollywood movies, so today we share with you some of the most blockbuster films so you can be surprised by the incredible landscapes in the country.

In addition, these movies also show the evolution of cinema and Mexico; although most of those listed are made between the nineties and two thousand.

Hollywood movies that were filmed in Mexico

The Night of the Iguana
This 1964 film tells the story of an alcoholic priest who after a severe crisis decides to retire to Mexico where he will work as a tourist guide; the locations were Puerto Vallarta and its surroundings, where one of the most important was Mismaloya Beach.

Romeo + Juliet
One of the most famous movies filmed in Mexico is this reinterpretation of the famous playwright William Shakespeare. In 1996, director Baz Luhrmann changed Italian Verona for Mexico City, the Port of Veracruz, and Texcoco.

The folklore and landscapes of the country became the ideal setting to give a twist to one of the great classics of literature, which remains one of the most tragic and passionate love stories in history.

Titanic
Another of Hollywood’s most memorable love stories was also set in incredible Mexican lands. James Cameron’s multi-award-winning film, released in 1997, was filmed at the Baja Film Studios, located in Rosarito, Baja California.

In fact, this studio also hosted other productions such as the famous Pearl Harbor.

The Mask of Zorro
There is no doubt that Mexican lands were perfect for this 1998 production, as landscapes and incredible haciendas of Sonora, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, and the State of Mexico were used.

Most of the interiors of this film were shot at the Churubusco Studios in Mexico City, and the rest were filmed on location; probably one of the most memorable was the Ex-Hacienda de Santa María Regla, a construction dating back to the 18th century, which today is a rustic hotel located in the Magical Town of Huasca de Ocampo in Hidalgo.

La Mexicana
This 2001 comedy was set in beautiful locations in San Luis Potosí, the perfect setting to bring to life an atypical romance, surrounded by customs and mystical beliefs.

Like other movies, this Hollywood production meant an important tourist promotion for Mexico, in this case, for Real de Catorce.

Frida
The Hollywood film, co-produced with Mexico, based on the life of painter Frida Kahlo, was filmed mostly at Churubusco Studios, although locations in Mexico City and Puebla were also used.

Once upon a time in Mexico
This is another of the movies starring Antonio Banderas that was also filmed in Mexico, and between shootings, bloody scenes, and chases you can admire beautiful colonial cities such as Queretaro, Guanajuato, and San Miguel de Allende; the latter, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Burning Man
If we are talking about blockbuster movies, this is one of those filmed in Mexico; this 2004 production highlights emblematic areas and buildings of Mexico City, such as Paseo de la Reforma, La Condesa, and the colonial architecture of the Historic Center.

Troya
Because of its proximity to the United States, Mexico’s beaches have been one of the most sought-after locations for Hollywood movies, and another clear example of this is the one starring Brad Pitt and Eric Bana in 2004.

Surprising as it may seem, the golden beaches and blue waters of “Grecia” are actually the marvelous landscapes of Los Cabos in Baja California Sur.

Apocalypto
The ideal location for this 2006 film was Catemaco, San Andres Tuxtla, Cerro del Mono, and Paso de Ovejas, all of which reproduced the ecosystem surrounding the Mayan lands in pre-Columbian times.

Although this Hollywood production was described by some critics as excessively gory and historically uncertain, the best part was the incredible landscapes of Mexico.

007 Spectre
Filmed in 2015, this latest installment of the James Bond saga, allowed fans of the adventures of this detective, to identify, during a fantastic chase sequence, some of the most emblematic places of the Historic Center of Mexico City.