I saw a picture recently of someone camping in our great Algerian desert. Right after that, I also saw the announcement that Dune 3 will be released in December 2026.

It made me think about something interesting.

When you look at the Algerian Sahara, it really feels like the closest thing to Arrakis in real life. The scale, the dunes, the rocky landscapes… it already looks like a sci-fi world.

\>\_ I made a quick search because I really don't know :

\- Yet most of the Dune movies were filmed in places like Jordan and the UAE. Hollywood usually chooses locations based on three main things: incentives, infrastructure, and imagery. ( i wonder how they could finish part 3 in this anarchy of mr.orange, middle east conflit :) . )

\- Countries like Jordan and the UAE offer huge financial rebates to film productions. They also already have full film infrastructure: experienced desert crews, equipment, transport, and ready-made film camps.

\- Algeria only recently started building similar incentives with the new cinema law passed in 2024, so the system is still developing. (I hnew it recently to be honest)

\* But when it comes to landscape, the Algerian Sahara is incredible.

\- Places like Tassili n'Ajjer and the Ahaggar mountains have rock formations and volcanic landscapes that look almost alien. Huge dune seas like the Grand Erg Occidental give that endless desert feeling that Arrakis is known for.

\- In the Dune universe, Tanzerouft is a region of the deep desert on Arrakis. It appears in the novel Children of Dune.  Tanezrouft region in southern Algeria  also known as the “Land of Thirst.” (I'm surprised)

So in terms of atmosphere and authenticity, Algeria might actually be one of the most perfect real-world Arrakis locations.

So:

The main challenge is in the logistics. Big productions need hundreds of trucks, equipment teams, and technical support, which is currently easier to organize in established film hubs.

What do you think ? does the Algerian desert look more like Arrakis than the locations used in the movies?

I saw a camping photo from the Algerian Sahara… and it made me think: why wasn’t Dune filmed there?