Where Was Ben Hur Filmed? Filming Locations Of The 2016 Action Flick!!

Do you take pleasure in watching films with exhilarating action sequences? If you do, then I’m sure you must’ve watched the high-flying action film, Ben-Hur. But do you know where was Ben Hur filmed? Well, no worries, if you don’t, because today apart from giving you an overview about this movie, I will also acquaint you with its filming locations!

The American action drama film, Ben-Hur, released in 2016 was inspired from the original novel written by Lew Wallace, almost over one and half centuries ago! Important to mention that, reportedly there were a couple of spin-offs, already made prior to this film. Which were also based on the same novel. 

However, director Timur Bekambetov in his rendition of the film, portrayed the character more vividly! The main story of the film centers around the hero, Ben-Hur, who gets sent to imprisonment for a crime that he did not commit. And comes back to seek vengeance from his foster brother!

Commercially, Ben-Hur did not perform well, as it collected almost $10 million less than the production budget of staggering $100 million! Nevertheless, this historical film  still went on to win two major awards in 2017. 

Now before I let you in on, where was Ben Hur filmed. Let’s discuss the plot of the film in brief! So that you can get a better understanding of the actual storyline.

The Plot Of Ben Hur | What’s It About

The film begins by introducing us to the lead characters of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince and his step brother Messala. Who had Roman ancestors! Later in the film, Ben-Hur and Messala are shown to choose two different paths in life. Messala inducts himself to the Roman Army, whereas Ben-Hur stays back to protect the Jewish people.

After some years, Messala returns from the Roman army camp as an officer, and intends to meet his step brother. But get’s surprised to find Ben-Hur being actively involved in giving shelter to a group of Jewish Zealot members, who were trying to rebel against the Roman empire.

Midway through the film, without properly inspecting the cause of the matter, Messala sentences Ben-Hur to be incarcerated along with his mother and sister. The lead actor then pleads to Messala, in showing some mercy for his mother and sister. But the stone-hearted Roman officer refuses to show any compassion, and instead orders his guards to whip Ben-Hur! 

Eventually, in the final quarter of the film, Ben-Hur succeeds in letting his mother and sister escape from the holding, and later devises a plan to revolt. The poverty stricken Jewish slaves soon team up with Ben-Hur and take part in the rebellion against the Roman Empire. Ben-Hur clashes with Messala in a chariot race, and defeats him. The credits roll as Judah Ben-Hur forgives his step brother and allows him to live.  In the end Ben-Hur chooses mercy over vengeance!

Now, let’s quickly find out where was Ben Hur filmed. So that you can enjoy the filming sites of this intriguing movie!

Where Was Ben Hur Filmed? Let’s Know This Historical Movie Closely!!

Director Timur Bekambetov and the production unit of Ben-Hur, left no stone unturned while deciding for a perfect filming location for the movie. With a whopping $100 million production budget, director Timur, asked his unit to look for the most beautiful locations that could portray Ben-Hur’s empire in the film.

The production unit members soon came up with locations from all around the world that had arid and rough terrain and could potentially be used for shooting. Director Timur after conferring with other creative heads of the unit, decided to film in Europe. Majority of the film was shot in Italy while some parts were filmed in America. Meanwhile you can check out X, Scream and The Lost Boys which are equally fun and interesting!

The principal photography began in the first week of February 2015 and was completed in about 4 months. The filming crew members were divided into two groups, who simultaneously shot pivotal sequences in America and Italy. So without waiting any longer, let’s discuss where was Ben Hur filmed, in depth. And find out more about the specific shooting locations.

Matera | Italy

The first production unit along with director Timur Bekambetov reached the city of Matera located in the Basilicata region. The filming crew readily began capturing the outdoor shots of rocky and rough areas, outside the city. 

The unit had to struggle in getting the logistics delivered, as some of it did not reach the location on time. And further delayed the filming schedule. Nevertheless, after arranging the remaining part of the equipment, the crew extensively filmed the exterior shots which portrayed the initial scenes of the film, in this southern Italian city.

Rome | Italy

After filming some more sequences in Matera, the primary filming crew moved to the capital of Italy. The interior sequences which portrayed the palace and also the holding camps of Roman officers, were filmed inside a studio. The famous Cinecitta Studios, located in the heart of the city was comprehensively used.

The production crew constructed a set that portrayed Ben-Hur’s palace and its inner area. Later the same set was demolished, to create a make-believe tatty gaol, the place where Ben-Hur was shown to get incarcerated in the film.

Shooting at this location almost took a one and a half months to complete! You can also watch some other entertaining films such as, Gangs of New York, The English Patient and Everest which were filmed here!

California | USA

While the primary unit was filming the establishing scenes of the movie in Italy. The secondary unit commenced shooting the final quarter of the film in the state of California. Specifically, Riverside County, located in the southern part of California was used for filming.

The Mecca Hills mountain range was used to film the final sequence of the film, where Ben-Hur defeats Messela in a chariot race. Filming at this location was completed within a month, after which the actors flew to Italy, to finish shooting some important scenes there!

Here are some famous places in California that are often visited by adventure enthusiasts such as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Lake Tahoe, Death Valley National Park, Napa Valley, Yosemite National Park and Big Sur. You can also look into these places, should you decide to embark on an adventurous trip!

Final Words

Alright dear friends, now that you know where was Ben Hur filmed, it’s time for us to part ways! But I sure hope that you enjoyed the read, and found what you were looking for! Be sure to add your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out other amazing articles on Viebly.