Written by on Dec 11, 2014. Posted in On Location

Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice films on location in New Mexico

Superhero movie Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice built an expansive set while filming on location in New Mexico. The production has been largely based in Detroit, shooting at Michigan Motion Picture Studios.

More than USD 13 million was spent locally, according to the production team, and the New Mexico filming was reportedly arranged in place of a planned shoot in Morocco.

“We are thrilled that the towns of Playas and Taos, New Mexico could play host to such a large-scale production. In fact, they built one of the largest set pieces in New Mexico film history,” said Nick Maniatis, head of the New Mexico Film Office.

“We are pleased with the number of New Mexican residents and suppliers that the show was able to utilise during their stay.”

New Mexico is perhaps the top production centre in the US for desert locations, partly because of its generous 25% filming incentive.

In recent years the state has hosted the Johnny Depp movies Transcendence and The Lone Ranger, while young adult drama The Scorch Trials – the sequel to The Maze Runner – is also shooting locally. Mark Wahlberg’s massively successful war drama Lone Survivor doubled New Mexico for the mountains of Afghanistan.

Crime drama Breaking Bad helped raise Albuquerque’s national profile and part of the show’s legacy is an increased 30% filming incentive for TV productions. Breaking Bad prequel drama Better Call Saul has returned to Albuquerque.

Upcoming TV drama Stanistan is using Albuquerque as a stand-in for a fictional Middle Eastern country and the Jerusalem-set drama Dig filmed interiors in the city when the show relocated from Israel over the summer.