Expensive disused film and television sets that are still standing.

Hollywood is the place of dreams, where fantasy becomes reality. We all grew up with movies, dreaming of the Wild West, fantastic adventures or being swept up just like in the movies. Parallel universes, dystopian worlds, or an exciting hunt for the villain. The only limit is our imagination. Movies offer us the opportunity to become someone or go to a completely different place for a moment, offering a respite and escape from the banality of life. We come into contact with characters and places that are beyond our daily routine and responsibilities, outside of our normal constraints. No wonder the idea of visiting the sets is so exciting.

There’s something magical about a film set, as if the way the film made us feel was somehow tangible through the place itself, and the energy of the actors and actresses we admire resonated through the props. Here is a list of film sets that still exist today and that are open to the public, allowing us to experience some of that cinematic enchantment.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Set Piece: Port Royale

Location: Wallilabou Anchorage, St. Vincent

Production budget: €378.5 million* Pirates of the Caribbean officially has the title of the most expensive film ever made, with a budget of a whopping $378.5 million. In the end, the film grossed a colossal $1.046 billion, paying Johnny Depp $55.5 million for his role

The cast and crew were lucky enough to be able to take home souvenirs from the set, and it is said that not a single item was left behind. It’s hard not to imagine Captain Jack Sparrow running away with all the coins, like a lizard running on water, as described by Depp himself. The remnants of the 2003 set of The Curse of the Black Pearl can still be found in St Vincent’s, where props and buildings can be found. The pier did not survive and fell into disrepair, but much of the original set is still standing.

The Mummy

Set Piece: The Mummy Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco

Production budget: €80 million* Atlas Corporation Studios are located in Ouarzazate, Morocco, and are the largest film studio in the world.

Given the sheer size of the location, many film sets have been built and abandoned after use and for this reason it has become a popular tourist destination that features abandoned and dilapidated film sets from a number of famous films and series.

In 1999, The Mummy was filmed there, a film that grossed over $416 million worldwide. The location was perfect for this adventure film, which follows Rick O’Connell on a scavenger hunt in the Sahara Desert in 1925, and is one of the many abandoned sets that can be visited in this place. Filming in Morocco involved its fair share of risks: there were a few accidents due to dehydration due to extreme heat, and the entire cast and crew had to hydrate regularly. Additionally, some crew members have been stung or bitten by poisonous animals and have needed medical attention, which probably won’t leave a positive mark on their Yelp reviews.