Troy
Intro
Troy (2004) is one of the most ambitious productions ever to use Malta as a base. The $185 million epic, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Brad Pitt as Achilles, filmed across Malta, Gozo, Comino, Mexico and the UK over eight months in 2003, creating one of the most expensive and logistically complex shoots in Hollywood history.
For Scene on Gozo, the relevant connection is specific: the scenes featuring Achilles and his mother Thetis, played by Julie Christie, were filmed at the Blue Lagoon on Comino and on the adjacent Cominotto Beach. It is a brief but visually striking sequence early in the film, and the location is immediately recognisable to anyone who has visited.
Synopsis
This epic historical drama retells the story of the Trojan War, inspired by Homer’s “Iliad.” The film follows the conflict ignited by Prince Paris of Troy when he elopes with Helen, the queen of Sparta, leading to the massive Greek assault on Troy, followed by a decade long siege, with central characters like Achilles, Hector, and King Agamemnon playing pivotal roles that culminate in the legendary downfall of the city.
FAQ
The Gozo and Comino Connection
The Blue Lagoon scene is one of the quieter moments in an otherwise relentlessly large film. Early in the story, before the Greek fleet has sailed, Achilles travels to find his mother Thetis, an immortal sea nymph who can see his fate more clearly than he can. She tells him what he already knows: that if he goes to Troy, he will win glory but will not return. He goes anyway.
The scene was filmed at the Blue Lagoon on Comino, the small island that sits between Malta and Gozo in the Maltese Channel. The lagoon’s water, an extraordinary shade of turquoise over white sand, provided the ideal setting for a figure who belongs to the sea. Julie Christie, then 62, filmed the scene in the shallows while Brad Pitt watched from the rocks on Cominotto Beach, the small uninhabited islet that frames the western edge of the lagoon.
The choice of location is easy to understand once you’ve been there. The Blue Lagoon has a quality that feels genuinely removed from the ordinary world, which is precisely what the scene required.
Troy Scenes on Gozo
Achilles at the Blue Lagoon as he searches for this mother, Thetis. Achilles watches Thetis on Cominotto Beach Thetis, the sea nymph in the shallows of the Blue Lagoon.
Visiting the Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is accessible by boat from both Mġarr Harbour on Gozo and from several departure points on Malta. Day trips and boat tours run regularly throughout the season. It is one of the most popular destinations in the Maltese islands, so visiting early in the morning or later in the afternoon will give you a much better experience than arriving at midday in summer.
Top Tip: If you want to find the specific spot where the Thetis scene was filmed, look for the rocky shoreline on the Cominotto side of the lagoon, the limestone outcrops where Achilles stands are visible in the background of the scene and recognisable from the shore.
Production Info
Released
2004
Directed
Wolfgang Petersen
Starring
Brad Pitt
Eric Bana
Orlando Bloom
Watch Trailer for Troy
Troy Locations Map
Where else was Troy Filmed?
Fort Ricasoli, Malta — The City of Troy: The streets, grand square and inner citadel of Troy were built inside Fort Ricasoli, a 17th-century military fortification on the south entrance to Grand Harbour, Valletta. The fort had previously been used for Gladiator (2000) and has hosted numerous major productions since. The set constructed for Troy was one of the largest ever built in Malta.
Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, Malta — The Greek Landing: The scene in which Achilles leads the Greek army onto the Trojan shore was filmed at Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, a sweeping beach on Malta’s northwest coast. The bay’s golden sand and dramatic clifftop backdrop made it a convincing stand-in for the shores of ancient Troy.
Mellieħa Cliffs, Malta — The Temple at Phthia: The temple ruins of Phthia, where Achilles and Patroclus are training when Odysseus arrives to recruit them, were built on the cliffs above Mellieħa in northern Malta. The structure was purpose-built for the film.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico — The Outer Walls and Beach Battles: The larger battle sequences and the outer walls of Troy were filmed at Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. A $1 million set was constructed on location before Hurricane Marty made landfall in September 2003 and destroyed it entirely. The gates of Troy had to be rebuilt before the climactic fight between Achilles and Hector could be filmed.
Shepperton Studios and Ealing Studios, UK: Interior scenes, including the Palace of Troy, were filmed on sets built at Shepperton Studios in Surrey and Ealing Studios in London. The Trojan horse, constructed at Shepperton, was shipped to Malta in sections.
Did you Know
While playing Achilles, the legendary warrior whose only vulnerability was his heel, Brad Pitt tore his Achilles tendon during filming, briefly halting production. Troy was also the first UK-Malta co-production, made possible by Malta signing the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production Treaty in 2001. The Trojan horse used in the film, built at Shepperton Studios and shipped to Malta in pieces, was later gifted to Turkey and now stands near the site of the original ancient city of Troy.
🎬 Explore Gozo’s Film Locations in One Day
Loved this production? My new Gozo in a Day: Film & TV Location Guide helps you turn Gozo’s screen history into a real day out, with a practical route through Victoria, Dwejra and Mġarr Harbour, plus colour photos, maps and useful stop-by-stop notes.