The Middle Eastern city endorsed by Liu Yifei has almost become a regular backdrop for international blockbusters.
The plot of the currently screening Now You See Me 3 isn't particularly surprising, but the city where the second half of the movie was filmed is truly eye - catching.
This city on the Persian Gulf is like a large - scale magic trick out of thin air. In just over 60 years, it has transformed from a small fishing village into an international metropolis, with its per capita GDP ranking among the top six in the world.
Building the Louvre on the sea, digging an ocean world in the desert, creating a giant entertainment island on the wasteland, and even making the nearly extinct coral reefs grow again... After a visit to this city, you'll find that with money, you really can "do whatever you want".
It is Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Beyond gold and sand, how many amazing stories are there here?
A "Fixed Cameo" in International Blockbusters
In Now You See Me 3, the main stage for the Knights' "theft for the sky" is set in Abu Dhabi. The dusty desert and the futuristic skyline together drive the development of the plot.
In the movie, Rebecca Ferguson, who plays the villain, stands in front of a luxury hotel on Yas Island to hold a press conference for an F1 team. The next second, that F1 racing car rushes into the city's twilight and engages in a chase scene with a Ferrari police car.
Using Ferraris as police cars is just a small part of the luxurious equipment of the Abu Dhabi police force. The police cars used for daily patrols in the area are mostly BMWs and Cadillacs, while Ferrari FFs, Rolls - Royce Phantoms, and Lykan supercars are for show and occasionally make cameo appearances in movies. The Lykan, of which only 7 exist globally, made an appearance in Furious 7, playing a police car in the film.
To cooperate with the annual Formula One Grand Prix, the local police are also equipped with a quasi - formula racing car. It has a light body and fast acceleration and is mainly used for patrols in the Yas Marina Circuit area. Yas Island is an artificial island built at great expense by Abu Dhabi. A formula racing circuit and a Ferrari Theme Park are built near the marina, and the seaside hotel next to it offers a panoramic view of the entire circuit.
Since 2009, the final race of the F1 Grand Prix has been held here almost every year. The anti - clockwise circuit, overtaking bends, long straightaways, huge hairpin bends, combined with fireworks and the sea view, make the race - watching experience top - notch. Many important race scenes in the movie F1: Drive to Survive were filmed live during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, presenting the most authentic sense of speed to movie fans.
Besides the events within the city, the desert outside the city is also a favorite of international movies. The scene in the first part of the science - fiction epic Dune where the sandworms rampage wildly was filmed in the Liwa Desert in the south of Abu Dhabi.
The nearby Moreeb Dune is one of the highest sand dunes in the world and attracts many climbers and tourists to check in every year. According to insiders from Legendary Pictures, Dune 3 is likely to return to this desert, and the spectacular sand dunes will once again transform into the "Planet Arrakis".
The reason why so many blockbusters are filmed in Abu Dhabi is, on the one hand, because of the extremely contrasting scenes here, and on the other hand, because of Abu Dhabi's sincere "financial power".
Since 2013, the Abu Dhabi Film Commission has introduced multiple incentives for film and television production. According to the 2024 policy, the baseline rebate for production costs has been raised from the original 30% to 35%, and film and television companies can get a maximum cash return of 50%. As long as they film on location, showcase local culture, or complete post - production here, they have a chance to receive subsidies.
As of August 2025, Abu Dhabi has attracted more than 180 international film and television productions, including Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The more frequently the city is "featured" in movies, the more it feels like a huge film studio, always ready to start shooting.
All the Good - looking and Fun Things, All in One Place
Even with many famous directors coming to support, in the eyes of Chinese netizens, Abu Dhabi has long had less presence than neighboring Dubai.
As the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi has a more reserved and steady temperament. It is about 20 times the size of Dubai and has the sixth - largest oil reserves in the world. The city center is filled with the headquarters of energy companies. It doesn't have Dubai's shiny financial style but shows greater ambition in culture and architecture.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the most iconic landmark in the city. It is the largest mosque in the UAE and the third - largest in the world. This building is a symbol of "wealth" inside and out, using 46 tons of gold alone. The white marble imported from Greece, the custom - made gilded crystal lamps from Germany, and the world's largest hand - woven Persian carpet all silently demonstrate its grandeur.
This strength is also reflected in its tolerance of diverse beliefs. On Saadiyat Island, the Abrahamic Family House houses a mosque, a Christian church, and a synagogue in the same garden. They have the same height and materials, presenting a visual harmony. In a region troubled by geopolitical conflicts, such a juxtaposition itself is an attitude.
As part of the city's cultural development plan, Saadiyat Island brings together 8 cultural institutions with different styles. The most prominent landmark among them is the "Louvre Abu Dhabi".
The Louvre Abu Dhabi has a very modern appearance. A hollowed - out shallow dome gently covers the sea. The light and shadow pass through the dome and fall like the shimmering waves on the sea or the sunlight through the rain. The pool under the dome extends into a catwalk, and almost every visitor queues up to take pictures here.
This museum uses "time" as the main narrative line, putting global civilizations in the same historical river. Leonardo da Vinci's The Lady with an Ermine, Édouard Manet's The Fifer, Vincent van Gogh's Self - Portrait... Many important collections shine in the stars of art history.
The Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum near the "Louvre Abu Dhabi" opened at the end of November. A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, a 25 - meter - long blue whale specimen, and a meteorite containing 7 - billion - year - old particles in the collection together interpret how extreme biological evolution can be.
Walking a little further, you'll reach the Zayed National Museum, which officially opened to the public on December 3. The building complex is like five towering falcon wings. They are both visual symbols and functional devices - they act as solar thermal towers, continuously sending cool air into the hall through the exchange of hot and cold air.
Besides building a number of museums, this city seems eager to bring all the most popular entertainment projects on the planet under its wing.
Abu Dhabi has almost "collected" all the world's popular entertainment projects on Yas Island. Warner Bros. World is a giant indoor amusement park. The slides at Yas Waterworld spiral down from mid - air. The SeaWorld has a five - story - high whale shark viewing window. A Las Vegas - style "giant ball" is in the planning stage, and the seventh Disneyland in the world has also been officially announced to be under planning.
However, Abu Dhabi's modern story didn't start with a flash of "nouveau riche" gold.
Half a century ago, Abu Dhabi was a barren land on the edge of the desert. In summer, the temperature could easily soar above 50°C, and fresh water was scarce. Most residents made a living by fishing or collecting pearls at sea. Nearly half of them lived in tents, leading a hard life without running water and electricity.
In the 1960s, rich oil reserves were discovered underground in Abu Dhabi, marking a turning point in its fate. With the soaring oil exports, wealth poured in like a tide. In the past decade, the local population has increased from 2.7 million to more than 4.1 million, a growth rate of over 50%.
A "Test Bed for Future Cities"
With a stable income, this city doesn't have to worry about daily meals. It has the financial resources to build large buildings and amusement parks, carry out the world's largest seawater desalination project, plant millions of heat - resistant corals in the sea, and has the confidence to look further ahead.
Although Abu Dhabi is currently very wealthy, it is more aware than anyone that oil will eventually be exhausted, the price of oil trade is always fluctuating, and the global energy structure is shifting towards low - carbon. It must leave the comfort zone of oil in advance. So, this city has written "de - oiling" into its development strategy, trying to balance the sustainable development of the economy and the environment.
Spending money to support international stars and building luxurious entertainment facilities are actually heavy investments in the city's future, exploring diverse sources of income in the construction, manufacturing, and tourism and culture industries. In 2024, the contribution rate of non - oil industries to Abu Dhabi's GDP reached 54.7%, showing continuous growth for three years.
Artificial intelligence is the latest growth engine. The government has announced an investment of 25.3 billion yuan to build an AI government system. Even the choice of Liu Yifei as the cultural and tourism spokesperson was the result of a data model deduction by the local department.
Liu Yifei is now the tourism spokesperson for Abu Dhabi. (Photo/Screenshot from Weibo)
This city sitting on an oil field started to build the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world in 2009. All the units will be put into operation this year, meeting 1/4 of the country's electricity demand. This nuclear power plant not only reduces the risk of energy depletion but also protects the most precious resource in the Middle East - fresh water.
More than 70% of the tap water here is obtained through seawater desalination, and the desalination process itself is extremely energy - consuming. In the past, it relied on burning oil for power generation. Now, nuclear power is an option. The oil and gas resources can be sold on the international market, while providing a stable operation for the giant desalination plants.
Abu Dhabi's climate conditions are far from ideal. Winter is the golden season, with daytime temperatures in the twenties degrees Celsius and cool sea breezes. Summer, on the other hand, is like an oven, with high temperatures, high humidity, and the ground hot enough to melt the soles of shoes. Here, it's almost impossible to survive without air - conditioning. However, Abu Dhabi is determined to challenge this "impossible".
In the suburbs of the city, a future - oriented city with a "zero - carbon" goal has been built - Masdar City. The buildings have height limits, the streets are narrow, and sunshades and grilles create shadows. "Wind channels" are used to bring wind from the sky to the ground.
On the ground, driverless electric vehicles and robot deliveries are the main means of transportation, reducing carbon emissions from traffic. Due to the high rent, the occupancy rate here is currently low, and there isn't much of a living atmosphere. However, it still shows a new possibility.
Some people may say that Abu Dhabi is a "nouveau riche new city" lacking centuries of cultural heritage. However, taking a closer look at its development plan, you'll find that it's more like a "test bed for future cities".
These cities are not naturally formed in the traditional sense but are "built". Abu Dhabi is the same. It's just that what drives its construction is the anxiety of the post - oil era.
While others explain cities through history, Abu Dhabi defines itself through the future.
This article is from the WeChat official account "New Weekly", republished by 36Kr with permission.