Four Hollywood Blockbusters Set and Filmed in Macau, the Eastern Las Vegas
Known as the Eastern Las Vegas, Macau is renowned for its vibrant nightlife, iconic Portuguese landmarks and bustling casinos. It’s exotic and signature casino impression attracted Hollywood action filmmakers to set scenes in the city.
Bringing in the Asian culture and its vibrancy as an exotic touch on the blockbusters. Here, we will take a look at some famous movie scenes that are set in Macau.
Skyfall, 2012
Macau is famous for its luxurious casinos, which movie makers love to use as a crime scene. the 23rd James Bond film, "Skyfall," does this to create a thrilling scene set in Macau. Bond was on a mission to track down the cyberterrorist Raoul Silva, which was played by Javier Bardem.
To capture Silva’s guilt, Bond visits a lavish casino in Macau and meets Severine, who led him to Silva’s underwater hideaway.
The tension built in the intense scene covers a range of Bond’s action scenes, from encountering dangerous henchmen to navigating through the casino, Bond finally finds his way to Silva’s hideout.
Now You See Me 2, 2016
One of the longest screen times of a Macau set in Hollywood blockbuster history, Now You See Me 2 sets the movie’s climax all at Macau. The heist thriller features an all-star cast, including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Mark Ruffalo.
The 45-minute-long movie scene features the Four Horsemen (the group of magicians and thieves featured in the movie), who attempt to pull off their biggest heist yet. Taking place also in a massive casino, the Four Horsemen use their magic tricks to steal a computer chip that contains sensitive information.
The scene is filled with suspense, excitement and action, as the Four Horsemen face off against their antagonist in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Apart from the heist scene, the film also featured a cameo appearance of Jay Chou, a Taiwanese famous singer in one of the Macau scenes.
Johnny English Reborn, 2011
Johnny English Reborn is Rowan Atkinson-trademarked spy comedy film starring him as Johnny English in the second film in the series. In the film, Johnny English is tasked with stopping a group of international assassins from killing the Chinese premier.
To track down the assassin, Johnny English travels to Macau and searches for clues by his spying skills in the scene. When Johnny English bumble his way through the casinos, he causes chaos and a lot of confusion throughout, his humorous performance of action film spices up the movie, making laughter in the cinema nonstop.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, 2021
Probably one of the biggest films of all time being set in Macau. The Marvel cinematic universe introduces a new character Shang-Chi and sets one part of the movie in Macau.
Liu Simu, who played Shang-Chi was in companion with his friend Katy, played by Awkwafina. They were on the lookout for Shan-Chi’s estranged sister, Xia Ling.
Shang-Chi travels to Macau and arrives at an underground fighting club, where he faces off against a series of opponents in a brutal and intense fight, making a showdown of Shang-Chi’s martial performance.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.