The man who knew too much, 1956
The man who knew too much is a crime film by British director Alfred Hitchcock. Unlike the first version, this remake is in color, which is why the city of Marrakech was chosen, known for its rich hues. Mixing suspense, intrigue, and chase scenes, the movie includes numerous sequences shot in the medina, at Bab Doukkala, and especially in the middle of Jemaa el Fna square. One of the legendary scenes of this masterpiece is undoubtedly the song 'Que sera, sera', performed by the stunning Doris Day in one of the suites at the La Mamounia palace. This song went on to win an Oscar for Best Song.
The mummy, 1999
Written and directed by Stephen Sommers, The mummy is a fantasy adventure film recounting the fictional story of a cursed Egyptian priest, resurrected by archaeologists during the 1920s. Lead actors Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz teamed up in Marrakech instead of Cairo due to the tense political climate in Egypt. Consequently, the scenes representing the Egyptian desert were filmed in the Moroccan Sahara, near the city of Erfoud.
Alexander, 2004
Directed by Oliver Stone, known for the famous musical documentary The Doors, Alexander is a biopic tracing the life of the Macedonian king, one of antiquity's most famous figures. Filmed in Morocco and Thailand for the outdoor scenes, this epic features an impressive cast including Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, and Jared Leto. For the shoot in Marrakech, two large warehouses in the industrial area were converted into workshops for making props: furniture, pottery, statues, musical instruments, fabrics, lamps, decorative items, etc.
Prince of Persia: The sands of time, 2010
Directed by Mike Newell, 'Prince of Persia: The sands of time' is a film adaptation of the successful video game of the same name. This action film explores the adventures of Prince Dastan, played by American actor Jake Gyllenhaal. The production team found Marrakech an ideal location with geographical diversity meeting the film's needs. Thus, filming began in 2008 in a small village nestled in the Oukaïmeden mountains, requiring the work of 20 construction workers to build a road making this remote village accessible. The scenes depicting the Iranian valley, Alamut, were spread over several areas around the ochre city, notably Tamesloht and the Agafay desert.