Where Was The Misfits Filmed?

It's fairly well-known by now that many movies and TV shows aren't filmed in the places where their stories are set. A little movie magic can turn Vancouver into Pittsburgh, modern London into 19th century London, or a soundstage into an alien planet. But sometimes, the best way to capture a specific place is to actually travel to that place and film there.

"The Misfits" is a heist film that premieres on June 11, 2021, in the U.S. It stars Pierce Brosnan as a legendary thief who joins a group of — you guessed it — misfits to steal a cache of gold. In 2019, co-star Rami Jaber described the film to The National News: "I will say that it's about someone who has to steal something, but for a good reason, to protect someone they love."

That's a deliberately vague description, but we do know that "The Misfits" takes place in the Middle East, and particularly in the glamorous and upscale parts of the United Arab Emirates. But did "The Misfits" actually film in its setting, or was it filmed somewhere else? Read on to find out.

"The Misfits" is actually set in the Middle East, and rather than try to simulate its setting, the filmmakers decided to film in the United Arab Emirates, primarily in the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. (Some additional filming, however, took place in Los Angeles.)

"After visiting and scouting Abu Dhabi, we were blown away," producer Kia Jam told The Hollywood Reporter. "We all agreed in order to do the film justice, production would have to take place primarily on location in Abu Dhabi rather than L.A., and we set up our base at the spectacular Jumeirah at Etihad Towers." The spot dominates Abu Dhabi's skyline and previously served as a filming location for "Fast & Furious 7," via The National.

For one scene, the filmmakers were forced to use an unusual location: their own star Pierce Brosnan's luxury hotel room inside the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. "We quickly needed a location and the only location spectacular enough for the scene was Pierce's room," director Renny Harlin told Forbes. "That's kind of unusual that you get to shoot in your star's room, but Pierce is that kind of guy—very generous and lovely to work with."

Brosnan and his fellow filmmakers clearly went the extra mile to deliver a memorable film, and hopefully, it pays off.