Add these ‘must-visit’ filming locations to your Brazilian bucket list
Brazil is considered one of the world’s most appealing and exciting destination with stunning coastlines, tropical savannas, lush rainforests and culture-rich cities. The country is famous among tourists for its vibrant culture, scenic beauty, and immense love of football. Brazil’s scenic backdrop has attracted the attention of film directors for years, with numerous international blockbusters being shot in the country.
Visiting famous film locations is a great way to discover a new destination. Here are four incredible must-visit movie locations in Brazil.
- Black Panther (2018) – Cataratas do Iguaçu (Iguazu Falls)
One of the highest grossing films of all time, Marvel Studio’s Black Panther whisked away viewers with its visually stunning cinematic experience. Footage of the Warrior Falls was filmed at the most spectacular waterfall system in the world, Iguazu. Located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu Waterfall has been listed on the World Heritage List and receives over a million tourists annually. Visiting this natural wonder is a must for fans of Black Panther and nature-lovers alike. Iguazu is located within the Iguassu National Park and consists of 275 waterfalls cascading into the Iguazu River, stretching for 1.7 miles (three times wider than Niagara Falls).
- The Incredible Hulk (2008) – Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in South America and is known for its beautiful beaches, carnival, its samba culture, soaring mountains and iconic landmarks. In the past few years, Rio de Janeiro has attracted a growing number of international productions including the Marvel Studio blockbuster, The Incredible Hulk. The movie features a spectacular aerial shot of the famous Rocinha Favela in Tavares Bastos, a winding maze of narrow back alleys and steep steps. In the movie, Bruce Banner also studied martial arts and meditative breathing techniques with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor.
- Moonraker (1979) – Rio de Janeiro
Another famous movie filmed in Rio de Janeiro is Moonraker, the 1979 spy-fi film and the eleventh in the James Bond series. In the movie, Bond follows the trail from California to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, the Amazon rainforest, and finally into outer space to prevent a plot to wipe out the world population and to recreate humanity with a master race. Bond takes on Jaws on top of the cable car which was filmed at Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro.
The Sugarloaf cable car in Rio de Janeiro, is one of the best-known attractions in Brazil and caters to millions of visitors every year. It is considered one of the safest in the world and travels at a speed of 20-30 kmph. The view from these cars is breath-taking as it offers a 360-degree panorama of the entire city. The pit-stops are attractions in themselves, and an absolute must do for everyone who visits Rio.
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Lençóis Maranhenses
Brazil is known for its unique landscapes and extraordinary geomorphological sites. The spectacular Lençóis Maranhenses National Park offers one of the most picturesque landscapes in Brazil, with rolling white sand dunes and sparkling clear blue water stretching out for miles. Created by hundreds of years of erosion, the sparse sand dunes are pocketed with naturally occurring pools of crystal-clear rainwater. This remote wonder is still relatively unknown and is a less crowded tourist attraction. The beauty of the landscape is truly spellbinding and sure to leave one awestruck. In the superhero movie, Avengers: Infinity War, plate shots of the Lençóis Maranhenses were used to compose the landscape of Vormir, where Thanos (Josh Brolin) ventures in search of the soul stone.