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15 American Movies With Scenes Shot In South Africa

15 American Movies With Scenes Shot In South Africa

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More than 10,000 American movies have been shot in South Africa, which offers incentives to foreign filmmakers. South Africa’s stunning landscapes and cities add visual impact or relevance to these films.

The country promotes low production costs and favorable exchange rate, which make it cheaper to make a movie there than in Europe or the U.S.

The South African film and TV industry contribute about $260.5 million a year to the country’s economy, according to a 2013 study.

The following list includes a mix of blockbusters and movies you may never have heard of.

Here are 15 American movies with scenes shot in South Africa.

Sources: IMDB.com, Ranker.com, AllMovie.com, Wikipedia.org, TravelGround, SouthAfrica.info.

This is an updated version of a slideshow that was originally published July, 11, 2014. Peter Pedroncelli contributed to this report.

Avengers Age of Ultron
Avengers Age of Ultron – themarysue.com

“Avengers: Age of Ultron”

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” was one of the most anticipated movies of this year, with a star-studded cast of A-list actors and actresses descending on Johannesburg’s inner city and the Sandton area to film parts of the sequel to the original film, which brings together a bevy of Marvel superheroes in a quest to once again save mankind. Some of the big names involved include Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

Blended movie
Blended movie – (dylanelsblog.com)

“Blended”

“Blended” was a hilarious romantic comedy that was released in 2014, benefiting from the chemistry between Adam Sandler and Draw Barrymore. This is the third movie involving these two Hollywood A-list stars, and involved a vacation to Africa, featuring South African locations including the well-known Sun City holiday resort. The film received positive reviews and was especially popular with South African audiences.

Safe House movie
Safe House movie – jewishjournal.com

“Safe House”

Starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, this action-packed thriller about a CIA safe house in South Africa was released in 2012 and saw the production team filming in Cape Town and Johannesburg. It is interesting to note that the original script for “Safe House” was set in Brazil, but it was re-written for South Africa when rioting in the South American country changed the minds of the production team due to insurance concerns. The movie received relatively good reviews, and made use of many local extras during filming, including scenes shot at Cape Town Stadium during a soccer match.

The Perfect Wave movie
The Perfect Wave movie – (christianfilmdatabase.com)

“The Perfect Wave”

Based on the true story about surfer Ian McCormack’s journey around the world to try and surf the perfect wave, before having an afterlife experience. His trip takes him to numerous surfing hotspots, with South Africa featured prominently. “The Perfect Wave” hit cinemas in 2014. Director Bruce Macdonald had experience surfing throughout the South African coastline, and was therefore able to film in the most beautiful places which he has previously experienced in his personal capacity.

Chappie 2015
Chappie 2015 – digitaltrends.com

“Chappie”

Released in 2014, this film by director Neill Blomkamp depicts a futuristic South Africa where a robotic police force handles crime and as a result it is at an all-time low. When a police robot is stolen and reprogrammed to think for itself, a thoughtful plot emerges where the audience is led to feel for Chappie, the robot with consciousness. The movie, which was shot in various South African locations, featured South African actor Sharlto Copley (of District 9), Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver and members of the South African music group, Die Antwoord.

rottentomatoes.com
rottentomatoes.com

“Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove”

“Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove” was the fourth installment in a well-known family series starring Beau Bridges and Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. The movie was filmed in South Australia and Cape Town, in the Western Cape. Bindi plays Kirra, a girl who visits her grandfather and find a baby Orca alone in a lagoon. She tries to help him but he doesn’t eat. The grandfather sells the orca to a competitor. Kirra rescues Willy, and gets him safely back to his pod. Although this was directly released to DVD in 2010, it was widely received by family audiences worldwide.

wikipedia.org
wikipedia.org

“Tarzan and the Lost City”

“Tarzan and the Lost City” was low-budget 1998 movie filmed solely in South Africa that did not get very good reviews, except for one overly glowing report in the New York Times. Starring Casper Van Dien, Jane March and Steven Waddington, the film took Tarzan to Africa, the place of his childhood, where he protected Jane and stopped an explorer from plundering the city of Opar.

theguardian.com
theguardian.com

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” is a 2013 award-winning movie based on the biography, “Long Walk to Freedom,” written by South African President Nelson Mandela. Starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris, the film depicts Mandela’s life through his 27-year imprisonment on Robben Island and his work to rebuild a democratic country post apartheid. The entire movie was shot in South Africa.

dailymail.co.uk
dailymail.co.uk

“District 9”

“District 9” was released in 2009 and won four Academy Awards and the Saturn Award for Best Independent Film. Filmed in Johannesburg, South Africa and Wellington, New Zealand, the movie is a science fiction action thriller depicting social segregation, humanity and xenophobia. Made on a relatively low budget (less than $30 million), the film grossed more than $116 million in the U.S.

allmovie.com
allmovie.com

“Blood Diamond”

Released in 2009, “Blood Diamond” is a political war thriller filmed in South Africa, Mozambique and England. The movie depicts the raging struggle between insurgent forces and those loyal to the government during the Sierra Leone Civil War of 1996 through 2001. “Blood Diamond” starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, and Jennifer Connely. It grossed more than $170 million dollars globally.

allmovie.com
allmovie.com

“The Gods Must Be Crazy”

A hilariously comedic movie of 1980, “The Gods Must Be Crazy” was filmed entirely in South Africa. The film portrays a young man named Xi, whose tribe experiences jealousy and fights after a glass soda bottle discarded from an airplane lands among tribe members. Xi decides to toss is over the edge of the Earth to restore harmony. The movie details his experiences outside his tribal land. “The Gods Must Be Crazy” starred N!xau, Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo. It grossed more than $100 million and was a record breaker in South Africa and Japan. In the U.S., it also broke records for foreign films. Made by Weintraub Entertainment Group, the film was released by Columbia Pictures in the U.S. and released in the rest of the world by 20th Century Fox.

theguardian.com
theguardian.com

“Invictus”

“Invictus” is a sports drama filmed solely in South Africa and released in 2009. The movie stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon and depicts the events surrounding the 1995 World Rugby Cup in South Africa. Both stars were nominated for Academy Awards and the movie had mostly positive reviews. Invictus grossed more than $120 million worldwide.

allmovie.com
allmovie.com

“Doomsday”

“Doomsday” was filmed in Scotland, England and South Africa and released in 2008. It is a futuristic sci-fi movie about a deadly epidemic that causes Scotland to be quarantined. This doomsday scenario featured medieval knights vying against futuristic soldiers. It did not do well in theatres and generally received mixed reviews.

rottentomatoes.com
rottentomatoes.com

“Hotel Rwanda”

Released in 2004, “Hotel Rwanda” is an historical drama filmed in Rwanda and South Africa. It is based on the true events during the Rwandan Genocide. The movie follows hotelier Paul Rusesabagina as he shelters refugees in his besieged hotel. There were only glowing reviews for this real-life film.

allmovie.com
allmovie.com

“10,000 B.C.”

A prehistoric epic fantasy film shot in South Africa, Namibia and New Zealand, “10,000 B.C.” tells the tale of D’Leh, a young hunter. When warlords ravage his village and kidnap Evolet, his love, D’Leh goes looking for her. He must fight off prehistoric creatures. The movie was released in 2008 and starred Steven Strait and Camilla Belle. It had mostly negative reviews despite faring well at the box office.