Moab, Utah isn’t just a playground for outdoor adventurers—it’s also a star-studded filming destination. With its dramatic red-rock formations, sweeping desert vistas, and otherworldly landscapes, Moab has set the scene for some of Hollywood’s most acclaimed movies and TV shows.
From action-packed blockbusters to epic Westerns and gripping sci-fi, this corner of the Utah desert has proven to be the perfect backdrop for unforgettable stories. Here are 10 films and series that showcase the magic of Moab on screen.
What Movies Were Filmed in Moab, Utah? 8 You May Have Heard Of
1. Thelma & Louise (1991)
Ridley Scott’s 1991 cult classic, featuring themes of female empowerment, friendship, and liberation from patriarchal control, was filmed throughout Moab, Utah. Thelma and Louise are two women who begin to take radical ownership of their lives, embracing their feminine power and sisterhood. It’s comedic, well-paced, and has a special message that still resonates with women today.
Thelma & Louise was filmed in several Moab locations, including Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Cisco, Thompson Springs, and La Sal. But the most iconic scene filmed in Moab happens in the last few minutes of the film. In a final act of empowerment and control over their desires and destinies, Thelma and Louise drive off a cliff rather than surrender to the police and the FBI. The fatal plunge in the movie was supposedly the Grand Canyon, but it was actually filmed at Fossil Point, visible from Dead Horse Point State Park, just outside Moab, Utah.
Get in touch with your inner power on a Moab adventure inspired by Thelma & Louise—freedom, courage, and wide-open roads.
2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Indiana Jones took the ’80s by storm, quickly gaining a massive following that’s only grown over the decades. The third installment, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, is one of the best in the film series, featuring fun, action-packed scenes and incredible chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.
Much of the iconic movie was filmed in Moab, Utah, at Arches National Park. The opening scene features Park Avenue and Balance Rock, where towering formations fill the screen. Perhaps the most well-known filming location from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the Double Arch. It’s here that young Indy enters the cave as a Boy Scout and discovers and steals the Cross of Coronado from grave robbers.
Other parts of the film were shot throughout the Moab area, standing in for the Middle East, proving just how versatile and cinematic this desert landscape really is.
3. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
The sci-fi Transformers film series has grossed over $5 billion worldwide since its 2007 debut, making it a classic among audiences. The fourth installment, Transformers: Age of Extinction, features an essentially new cast and continues the epic battle to save Earth.
Transformers: Age of Extinction was filmed in several places around the world, including Hong Kong, China; Chicago, Illinois; Iceland; Texas; and, of course, Monument Valley, near Moab, Utah. Monument Valley has been a filming location for numerous movies throughout the years, and it’s probably because of its otherworldly-like backdrop.
The film uses Monument Valley’s iconic buttes as a dramatic backdrop during travel and battle moments, leaning into its classic, fantastical look. Near Moab, Utah, a separate action sequence was filmed at the roadside attraction Hole N” The Rock, where the Autobots face Lockdown’s forces in a desert showdown.
4. Mission Impossible: II (2000)
Mission: Impossible movies are the epitome of action-packed spy thrillers. With eight films and $4.35 billion in worldwide earnings, the franchise remains a massive hit across generations. Part of its success is due to Tom Cruise’s ability to perform heart-racing stunts, one of which was filmed right in Moab, Utah. Mission: Impossible II opens with a sequence of Cruise free climbing on red-rock cliffs. It’s dangerous. It’s risky. And it’s precisely the kind of thing Ethan Hunt would do.
While Cruise did work with stunt doubles in many of the Mission: Impossible movies, he performed this one almost entirely on his own. Filmed at Dead Horse Point in Utah, he was secured by hidden safety cables that were removed digitally after shooting. Cruise spent about 5 days filming the scene and even had coaching from professional climber Ron Kauk to get it down to a T.
Whether you know how to rock climb and want to channel your inner Ethan Hunt or just want to enjoy the views he saw, take a trip out to Dead Horse Point near Moab to experience Mission: Impossible II for yourself.
5. Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek (2009) is what many long-time fans have called the perfect reboot of the famed franchise, praised for its stunning visuals, top-notch casting, and unbeatable action sequences. It went on to win several awards and set up the next two installments of the series.
Primarily filmed in California, there was one spot that required a trip out to Utah. The planet Vulcan, home to Spock, required a desert-like landscape with towering formations and ethereal features. The crew chose the San Rafael Swell near Moab, Utah, one of the most iconic locations for movies filmed in Moab, Utah. Specifically, Three Finger Canyon depicted Spock’s dry and barren home in the film. It’s a fitting choice for a franchise known for boldly going where no one has gone before.
6. 127 Hours (2010)
127 Hours details the harrowing true story of Aron Ralston, a mountaineer who becomes trapped when a boulder falls on his arm. Over the course of 5 days, he’s forced to fight for his life in ways he never imagined.
The accident actually took place in Bluejohn Canyon in 2003, and the cast and crew decided to journey out there to bring Ralston’s story to life. Located near Moab, Utah, in Horseshoe Canyon within Canyonlands National Park, Bluejohn Canyon provided an authentic and haunting backdrop that captured the isolation and intensity of Ralston’s ordeal.
7. The Lone Ranger (2013)
The Lone Ranger, starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, follows a buttoned-up lawyer as he becomes a Texas Ranger, survives an outlaw ambush, and joins forces with Tonto to fight corruption in the 1860s American West. Like several other Westerns filmed in Utah, The Lone Ranger was shot throughout Southern Utah, including Monument Valley, Dead Horse Point, and Kanab.
8. Rio Grande (1950)
Monument Valley is often called “John Wayne country,” and Rio Grande was one of the many John Wayne movies filmed in Moab, Utah. Taking place after the Civil War, the film follows Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke as he commands a U.S. Cavalry outpost along the Rio Grande, defending settlers from Apache attacks.
Several of the scenes are captured in Monument Valley, which stands as a testament to the Old American West’s beauty and sweeping desert landscapes. Director John Ford famously used Monument Valley in multiple films, cementing the area’s status as one of the most iconic filming locations in cinematic history.
2 TV Shows Filmed in Moab, Utah
Westworld
Westworld is a unique dark sci-fi TV series about a Western-themed amusement park populated by lifelike robotic hosts. What no one expects is for those hosts to begin gaining consciousness. It’s a classic story of humanity playing God and the inevitable consequences when its creations begin to think for themselves and revolt.
Seasons 1 and 2 of the series were filmed primarily in and around Moab, Utah. You’ll recognize iconic locations like Castle Valley, Fisher Towers, and Dead Horse Point State Park represent the theme park’s West. Monument Valley, Lake Powell, and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park are also featured throughout the seasons. With its sweeping red-rock vistas and otherworldly terrain, it’s easy to see why Moab became the perfect stand-in for a futuristic frontier.
Horizon: An American Saga
Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga was filmed in Utah, specifically near Moab and St. George. Set around the Civil War era, the series follows multiple characters heading west in search of land and opportunity, exploring the struggles, conflicts, and harsh realities of frontier expansion. The TV show features notable regions, including San Rafael Swell, Castle Valley, La Sal, Apple Valley, and several spots in Washington County, Utah.
Read our blog about where Horizon: An American Saga was filmed and start planning your own trip to the stunning locations Kevin Costner brought to life on screen.
Make Your Own Film Project in Utah With the Experts
Do you feel inspired by these movies filmed in Moab, Utah? Whether you’re planning a short film, commercial, or full-length feature, Avalanche Studios can help bring your vision to life. As a full-service video production company, we handle everything from location scouting and filming to post-production, making it easy to create your own cinematic masterpiece in Utah’s stunning landscapes. Request a quote from our team to start your next project with the pros.
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