Jordan, which thanks to its spectacular locations has long been attracting international productions – most recently “Dune: Part Two” – is launching its first full-fledged studio complex called Olivewood Film Studios.
Located just 15 minutes from the center of the capital, Amman, Olivewood has two state-of-the-art soundstages, each measuring more than 16,000 square ft, and an extensive backlot, a production support building, a basecamp area and parking lot for 95 cars, plus a dedicated space for technical vehicles.
The state-of-the-art facilities were unveiled on Tuesday during a gala event attended by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Prince Ali binAl Hussein, and Princess Rym al-Ali.
“With the new studios and a 16-acre backlot, Jordan now has all the right components in place to service all international filmmaking needs as well as giving the local production houses the opportunity to produce their stories for the regional and international markets,” said in a statement the studio’s chief Raja Gargour, who is also executive commissioner of Jordan’s Royal Film Commission (RFC).
The studio’s ribbon-cutting event coincided with the 20th anniversary of the RFC which over the past two decades has been instrumental to luring a slew of other Hollywood films besides “Dune 2” including “The Martian,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “The Hurt Locker,” and “John Wick: Chapter 4,” as well as standout international films from other countries such asIranian-born director Ali Abbasi feminist thriller “Holy Spider” in which Jordan stood in for Iran.
In terms of locations, besides the desert of Wadi Rum, with its immense rock formations and rolling sand dunes, Jordan also offers castles, palaces, ruins and green valleys. It’s a wide range of landscapes that easily double for many West Asian countries. Support includes a 25% cash rebate, recently raised from 20%, and a tax exemption for foreign productions.
