Cinema & film · Our pick in Malta
Malta on film: the back story
The back story
About Malta on film: the back story
With deep blue seas, rugged cliffs and walled towns of golden stone, Malta can play almost anywhere, and it has. Visit Malta lists Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Captain Phillips, World War Z and The Count of Monte Cristo among the productions filmed on the islands (visitmalta.com).
King’s Landing
Mdina’s Main Gate and lanes stood in for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, and the walled city also appears in The Count of Monte Cristo (visitmalta.com). Walk in at dusk and you will recognise it.
Gladiator and the epics
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator and the Somali-pirate thriller Captain Phillips were both shot in part in Malta, as was World War Z (visitmalta.com). The islands’ forts, harbours and open sea make them a natural stage for epics and sea stories; the Malta Film Commission promotes the islands to productions (maltafilmcommission.com).
Mdina has been King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, as well as appearing in The Count of Monte Cristo, in Visit Malta’s words.
Popeye Village
The most charming survivor is Popeye Village at Anchor Bay near Mellieħa, the timber set built for the 1980 musical film Popeye and kept ever since as an attraction (popeyemalta.com).
Going to the cinema
Films are shown in their original language, usually English. Eden Cinemas is in St Julian’s, the Embassy Cinemas in Valletta, the Galleria Cinemas on the island, and the Citadel Cinema in Victoria on Gozo (visitmalta.com).
Our advice: watch the trailers below, then see the locations in a day: Mdina in the morning, Popeye Village after lunch.
Why it's on our list
- King’s Landing
- Gladiator
- Popeye Village
- Going to the cinema
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Malta on film: the back story before you go.