Where was The Martian filmed? Explore the real-world locations in Jordan, NASA sites, Budapest that brought Ridley Scott’s Mars to life.
Ridley Scott’s The Martian (2015) makes being stranded on Mars look like the world’s most stressful gardening assignment.
Based on Andy Weir’s bestselling science-fiction novel, the film follows astronaut and botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon), presumed dead after a violent storm forces the Ares III crew to evacuate Mars. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Watney is very much alive.
Alone on the planet, with dwindling supplies and no communication with Earth, he turns science, engineering, improvisation, and an impressive quantity of potatoes into a survival strategy. Back on Earth, NASA races to bring him home, while his crewmates prepare for an audacious rescue mission.
The film stars Matt Damon as stranded astronaut Mark Watney, alongside Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Donald Glover, and Benedict Wong.
From Jordan’s otherworldly desert to Budapest’s futuristic architecture, the filmmakers found some remarkably convincing stand-ins for both Mars and Earth.
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🧑🚀 The Martian Filming Locations
The Martian‘s filming sites included deserts, futuristic architecture, airports, NASA facilities, and enormous studio sets (all on Earth).
The result is an international production spanning Jordan, Hungary, and California, with Wadi Rum providing the rugged Martian exterior and Hungary doing an astonishing amount of heavy lifting behind the scenes.
🏜️ Wadi Rum, Jordan
Ridley Scott made Earth look convincingly extraterrestrial by filming its Mars sequences in Wadi Rum Protected Area in southern Jordan. The film used its expansive plains for scenes featuring the Ares III Hab, rover journeys, and Mark Watney’s long treks across the Martian surface.
Nicknamed the “Valley of the Moon,” the vast desert is famous for rust-red sand, towering sandstone cliffs, and otherworldly rock formations that required surprisingly little imagination to pass for Mars.
Khor al-Ajram provided broad desert terrain particularly suited to rover and Hab exterior sequences, while the dramatic canyons and red-sand valleys around Wadi Sabet helped create the feeling of Watney navigating an alien landscape.
The spectacular 5-kilometre-long sandstone Barrah Canyon provided the setting for Watney’s isolated overland expeditions. Its towering cliffs and winding passages create the perfect alien landscape for his perilous journey across Mars.
The reserve’s monumental rock formations also feature prominently in wide establishing shots. Among them are the Seven Pillars of Wisdom (Jabal Al-Mazmar) and Jebel Khazali, whose enormous sandstone cliffs and rugged silhouettes give Mars its suitably epic scale.
What was filmed here:
- Khor al-Ajram valley: Mark Watney driving the heavy-duty rover.
- Barrah Canyon area: Watney’s solitary treks across the Martian surface.
- Wadi Sabet: Otherworldly landscapes used to portray Mars.
- Seven Pillars of Wisdom (Jabal Al-Mazmar): Cinematic Mars shots.
- Jebel Khazali: Establishing Mars landscapes.
- Jebel Um Ishrin sand dunes: Vast, rust-colored surface of Mars.
What to see & do here:
- Wadi Rum Protected Area: Explore dramatic desert scenery.
- Wadi Rum Bedouin camps: Experience traditional desert hospitality.
- Wadi Rum Jeep tours: Visit spectacular sandstone valleys.
- Wadi Rum stargazing tours: Sleep beneath spectacular stars.
Book a tour:
- Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight & Dinner in Bedouin Camp
- 2-Day Private Tour from Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum Camp & Dead Sea
🛰️ Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, supplied authentic exterior plates and context for the Satellite Communications Center. It also played a much bigger role in the production’s scientific credibility, with NASA scientists and engineers serving as technical consultants.
That collaboration makes sense because JPL is deeply involved in real Mars exploration. The laboratory’s technology and expertise were important inspirations for the film, helping The Martian achieve its unusually convincing blend of science, engineering, and Hollywood panic.
What was filmed here:
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Satellite Communications Center exteriors.
What to see & do here:
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Explore public visitor opportunities.
- Pasadena: Tour the city’s historic neighborhoods.
- Old Pasadena: Browse shops, restaurants, and architecture.
- Griffith Observatory: Catch a planetarium show.
Book NASA tours:
🌊 The Bálna, Budapest
Budapest’s Bálna, meaning “The Whale,” gave NASA headquarters a futuristic European makeover. The glass-and-steel building stretches along the Danube and provided interiors used to represent NASA administration offices in the film.
Its expansive glass spaces suited the film’s futuristic space-agency aesthetic. Hollywood’s version of NASA enjoys prime waterfront real estate.
What was filmed here:
- The Bálna interiors: NASA administration office sequences.
What to see & do here:
- Bálna Budapest: Admire its distinctive curved architecture.
- Danube Promenade: Enjoy riverside views and walks.
- Danube river cruises: See the city from the water.
- Central Market Hall: Shop and take a cooking class.
Book a tour:
- The Martian & Other Hollywood Film Spots in Budapest
- Be a Movie Star! Film Tour, Escape Room in Budapest & Etyek
✈️ Budapest Airport Locations, Hungary
Hungary‘s contribution did not stop at futuristic buildings. The production also used Budaörs Airport and the closed Terminal 1 of the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport for the scenes set in an American airport.
The airports helped fill out the earthly side of the story, giving the production practical locations for the logistics surrounding a mission of global importance, particularly when the story shifts between the isolated planet and the enormous logistical operation unfolding back on Earth.
What was filmed here:
- Budaörs Airport: Exterior cargo and transport imagery.
- Terminal 1, Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport: Airport infrastructure.
What to see & do here:
- Budaörs: Explore the suburban area around Budapest.
- Budapest city centre: Visit historic sights and museums
- Danube river cruises: Enjoy iconic riverside scenery.
Book a tour:
🎼 Müpa Budapest, Hungary
The futuristic Müpa Budapest (Palace of Arts) stepped into the story as the headquarters of the Chinese National Space Administration. Its dramatic contemporary architecture helped sell the idea that viewers were looking at an international space agency coordinating a mission of extraordinary importance.
The location is particularly fitting for The Martian, whose rescue story eventually becomes an international effort rather than a strictly American operation. In other words, when Mars throws humanity a problem, Budapest gets to pretend it is the world’s most important space headquarters. Not a bad day at the office.
What was filmed here:
- Müpa Budapest interiors: Chinese space agency headquarters.
What to see & do here:
- Müpa Budapest: Explore its striking modern architecture.
- National Theatre: Visit the neighboring cultural complex.
- Buda Castle: Get acquainted with the historical core of Buda.
- Andrássy Avenue: Palaces, cultural jewels, folk music performance.
Book a tour:
🎥 Korda Studios, Etyek, Hungary
If Wadi Rum supplied the scenery, Korda Studios supplied practically everything that could not be left to the desert.
Located in Etyek, about 26 kilometres west of Budapest, the enormous studio complex housed many of The Martian‘s interior sets and the controlled environment needed for the film’s greenhouse, habitat, and dramatic opening storm sequences.
Around 20 sets were constructed for the film and the production grew real potatoes inside the studio, starting at different times to show crops at various stages of development, rather than relying on suspiciously perfect plastic potatoes.
What was filmed here:
- Korda Studios soundstages: Mars habitat, greenhouse, dust storm.
What to see & do here:
- Korda Filmpark Tour: 2.5 hrs guided tour of filmmaking.
- Etyek village & wine tasting: Sample local Hungarian wines.
Book a tour:
- Korda Filmpark Tour & Escape Room in Budapest & Etyek
- The Martian & Other Hollywood Film Spots in Budapest
🚀 The Martian FAQs
Here are the nerdy answers to the questions people inevitably ask after watching Matt Damon grow potatoes on another planet.
Who wrote The Martian book?
Andy Weir’s The Martian began as a self-published novel in 2011 before Crown released it commercially in 2014. Ridley Scott then brought the story to the big screen in 2015, directing a screenplay by Drew Goddard.
Where was The Martian first published?
The Martian (Weir novel) was originally self-published online in 2011, later selling the Kindle edition before Crown acquired the rights and published the novel in 2014.
Is The Martian scientifically accurate?
The Martian (movie) is unusually science-focused, with NASA experts advising the production. Most of its survival science is plausible, but the opening dust storm is exaggerated, and the Iron Man-style rescue at the end takes some Hollywood liberties with the physics.
Where was The Martian set on Mars?
The story places Mark Watney and the Ares III mission in Acidalia Planitia, a broad region of Mars.
Who directed The Martian?
Ridley Scott directed the 2015 film, with Drew Goddard writing the screenplay based on Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian.
Who’s in The Martian cast?
- Matt Damon: Mark Watney
- Jessica Chastain: Commander Melissa Lewis
- Chiwetel Ejiofor: Vincent Kapoor
- Jeff Daniels: Teddy Sanders
- Kristen Wiig: Annie Montrose
- Sean Bean: Mitch Henderson
- Michael Peña: Rick Martinez
- Kate Mara: Beth Johanssen
- Sebastian Stan: Chris Beck
- Donald Glover: Rich Purnell
- Benedict Wong: Bruce Ng
- Aksel Hennie: Alex Vogel
- Mackenzie Davis: Mindy Park
- Naomi Scott: Ryoko
Did Matt Damon film his Mars scenes separately?
The production reportedly filmed Damon’s solo Mars material consecutively over several weeks, reflecting the character’s prolonged isolation. The unusual schedule meant he spent much of the production working apart from the rest of the principal cast.
Where was The Martian Mars scenes filmed?
The main Mars exterior scenes in The Martian were filmed in Wadi Rum, Jordan, with additional Martian environments constructed at Korda Studios in Hungary.
The image below shows the actual route that Mark Watney would have travelled on Mars from Chryse Planitia over Arabia Terra in the Martian highlands to Ares 4.
Did they really grow potatoes for The Martian?
Yes. The production grew real potatoes inside Korda Studios, planting them at different times so the film could show crops at different stages of growth.
Could Watney really grow potatoes on Mars?
Potatoes are a promising crop for Mars, but simply planting them in untreated Martian regolith is not realistic because it lacks essential nutrients, contains potentially toxic perchlorates, and would require treatment before it could safely support crops.
Could the opening Martian dust storm really strand Watney?
This is the film’s biggest scientific liberty. Mars does experience enormous dust storms, but its atmosphere is extremely thin, making the kind of powerful, structure-destroying winds shown in the opening sequence unrealistic.
What is the Martian atmosphere like?
Mars has a thin, cold atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide, with small amounts of nitrogen and argon.
Does Mars really have 38% of Earth’s gravity?
Yes. Mars has surface gravity of roughly 38% of Earth’s, so objects and people would weigh considerably less there.
Is the communication delay in The Martian real?
Yes. Radio signals between Earth and Mars can take roughly 3 to 22 minutes one way, depending on the planets’ positions, making real-time conversations impossible. The Martian gets this right, which is frankly showing off for a sci-fi movie.
Did actors wear full astronaut helmets?
The actors wore the astronaut suits without the heavy glass faceplates during filming. Reflections and visor effects were added digitally, making it easier for the actors to perform without wrestling with a giant transparent bubble around their heads.
Was Donald Glover’s fall real?
Yes. Glover’s fall while playing Rich Purnell was reportedly an unscripted accident that Ridley Scott liked enough to keep in the finished film.
What are some movies like The Martian?
- Apollo 13 (1995): Real space crisis demands impossible ingenuity.
- Cast Away (2000): Resourceful survivor battles crushing isolation.
- Gravity (2013): Astronaut fights alone against space.
- Interstellar (2014): Humanity races beyond Earth for survival.
- Ad Astra (2019): Astronaut journeys into deep space.
- Project Hail Mary (2026): Lone astronaut tackles an extinction-level mystery.
📺 Where to Watch The Martian
Where is The Martian streaming? Here’s where to find this 2015 sci-fi survival adventure.
The Martian may be about surviving Mars, but its filming locations prove that you can build a convincing Red Planet from a Jordanian desert, Hungarian soundstages, futuristic Budapest architecture, and a little Hollywood ingenuity.
Thankfully, unlike Mark Watney, you don’t have to grow your own potatoes to visit them.
Disclaimer: This fan-created article is provided for entertainment purposes only. We don’t guarantee the accuracy of any of these facts and don’t recommend making important life decisions based on them. All referenced titles, names, and related intellectual property are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.
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