Dates: 1960 – 2013
Named after the 1960 Stanley Kubrick epic ‘Spartacus‘, for which it was built, this Square was just adjacent to the Little Europe sets. The original sets were designed by production designer Alexander Golitzen, and were destroyed in the 1987 backlot fire.
The sets were immediately rebuilt to the same designs, but were demolished in 2013 as they were becoming unsafe.
The area was known as Spartacus Square from 1960 to 2002, when it was renamed The Square of Warriors, after its’ role in The Scorpion King.
The sets could be extended vertically through the use of matte paintings. Talented artists “fill-in” the rest of the massive Roman structures by painting on glass, which is then placed between the set and the camera. The highly detailed paintings became part of the set in the camera, requiring no costly optical special effects.
Opposite the main Spartacus sets there was an area of Embassy buildings that have featured in a number of productions. The building behind these sets is the massive Edith Head Building, home to the property and costume stores.
Across the tram route from the Embassy buildings there are two other structures.
Tram Tour Video (Gladiator was not filmed on the Universal backlot, despite appearing in this video)
See also
Seen on Screen: Universal Studios Hollywood [Square_of_Warriors]
| Title | Released | Director | IMDB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartacus [Feature Film] | 1960 | Stanley Kubrick |  |
| The Square of Warriors (formerly known as Spartacus Square) was designed and built for this movie. Laurence Olivier addresses the Roman soldiers from the Roman Senate steps. The backlot road leading to the Flash Flood was used as the Appian Way. The senate interiors were shot on Stage 06. Stage 12 was also used. | |||
| Thoroughly Modern Millie [Feature Film] | 1967 | George Roy Hill | |
| Stage 12 (Muzzy Estate), Stage 22, Stage 27, Stage 28 were the soundstages used. The Paris Opera House sets on Stage 28 were used for the theatre sequence. Many exterior scenes were shot on New York Street and Brownstone Street. The Square of Warriors embassy buildings featured as Carol Channing / Muzzy's house. | |||
| The Blues Brothers [Feature Film] | 1980 | John Landis | |
| Park Lake (Good ole boys motorhome crashes into lake), New York Street (as Chicago) - car jump stunt, Singapore Lake. The gospel church interior was shot on a set built on the Square of Warriors backlot set. Stage 06 and Stage 25 was also used. | |||
| History of the World Part I [Feature Film] | 1981 | Mel Brooks | |
| Park Lake (Red Sea), Square of Warriors (extended by the use of matte paintings to depict Ancient Rome), Little Europe (as France) | |||
| Voyagers! [TV Series] | 1982-1983 | James D. Parriott | |
| Colonial Street, Denver Street, Little Europe, Train Station, Mediterranean Square, Old Mexico, Square of Warriors, Collapsing Bridge (pilot) | |||
| Cloak & Dagger [Feature Film] | 1984 | Richard Franklin | |
| The backlot Square of Warriors set is featured as the foreign embassy that Jack Flack parachutes into at the start of the movie. | |||
| Airwolf [TV Series] | 1984-1986 | Donald P. Bellisario | |
| Colonial Street (Cleaver House), Colonial Street Church, Denver Street, Little Europe, New York Street, Six Points Texas, Square of Warriors, Tower of London backlot sets, Stage 14 [helicopter interior mockup], Stage 20 [process shots], Stage 24 [Hawke Cabin set], Stage 27 [The Lair hideout], Stage 28 [process shots] | |||
| Murder She Wrote [TV Series] | 1984-1996 | Various | |
| "Incident on Lot 7" - Season 8, Episode 13 (1992) - Psycho House | |||
| "Jessica Behind Bars" - Season 2, Episode 9 (1985) - Square of Warriors / Spartacus Square Embassy building appears as the Prison exterior. | |||
| "Hooray for Homicide" - Season 1, Episode 3 (1984) - Front Lot & Studio Tour | |||
| Colonial Street, New York Street (as London), Tower of London set (as an amusement park), Little Europe (unknown episodes) | |||
| Elm Street (as Industrial Street), Singapore Lake (Jaws Lake) appeared in the opening titles as Cabot Cove, Maine. | |||
| "To Kill A Legend" (Season 11 Episode 3, October 1994) Circle Drive on Colonial Street is featured prominently as the location for the battle re-enactment. The Colonial Street Church is seen in many shots. | |||
| "Seal of the Confessional" - Season 6 Episode 2 (1989) - Colonial Street Church appears in the opening sequence. Jaws Lake appears as Cabot Cove. | |||
| Stage 20 [pilot], Stage 22, Stage 25 (interior Jessica Fletcher's house), Stage 29, the backlot Train Station appeared in one episode. | |||
| Episode The Murder Channel (Season 11, Episode 6) features Brownstone Street and New York Street prominently. (1994) | |||
| "Judge Not" (Season 8 Episode 6) Shot in 1991 - featured the Embassy buildings in the Square of Warriors and Little Europe on the backlot. | |||
| Murder She Wrote [TV Series] | 1984-1996 | Various | |
| "Incident on Lot 7" - Season 8, Episode 13 (1992) - Psycho House | |||
| "Jessica Behind Bars" - Season 2, Episode 9 (1985) - Square of Warriors / Spartacus Square Embassy building appears as the Prison exterior. | |||
| "Hooray for Homicide" - Season 1, Episode 3 (1984) - Front Lot & Studio Tour | |||
| Colonial Street, New York Street (as London), Tower of London set (as an amusement park), Little Europe (unknown episodes) | |||
| Elm Street (as Industrial Street), Singapore Lake (Jaws Lake) appeared in the opening titles as Cabot Cove, Maine. | |||
| "To Kill A Legend" (Season 11 Episode 3, October 1994) Circle Drive on Colonial Street is featured prominently as the location for the battle re-enactment. The Colonial Street Church is seen in many shots. | |||
| "Seal of the Confessional" - Season 6 Episode 2 (1989) - Colonial Street Church appears in the opening sequence. Jaws Lake appears as Cabot Cove. | |||
| Stage 20 [pilot], Stage 22, Stage 25 (interior Jessica Fletcher's house), Stage 29, the backlot Train Station appeared in one episode. | |||
| Episode The Murder Channel (Season 11, Episode 6) features Brownstone Street and New York Street prominently. (1994) | |||
| "Judge Not" (Season 8 Episode 6) Shot in 1991 - featured the Embassy buildings in the Square of Warriors and Little Europe on the backlot. | |||
| The Wizard [Feature Film] | 1989 | Todd Holland | |
| The Square of Warriors features heavily as the location of the finale. Various parts of the studio and theme park are also featured, along with an extended sequence in the old King Kong attraction. | |||
| The Shadow [Feature Film] | 1994 | Russell Mulcahy | |
| Stage 29, Brownstone Street, New York Street, Square of Warriors (Alec Baldwin's mansion) | |||
| The Burning Zone [TV Series] | 1996-1997 | Coleman Luck | |
| New York Street, Square of Warriors, Stage 33, Stage 34 | |||
| Buddy [Feature Film] | 1997 | Caroline Thompson | |
| Square of Warriors | |||
| Crossing Jordan [TV Series] | 2001-2007 | Tim Kring | |
| Elm Street, Square of Warriors, Falls Lake (Season 6 Finale), Stage 27, Stage 33, Stage 36, Stage 37, Stage 41, Stage 42, Stage 43, Stage 44 | |||
| The Scorpion King [Feature Film] | 2002 | Chuck Russell | |
| Square of Warriors, Stage 28, Stage 29, Stage 41 | |||
| Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement [Feature Film] | 2004 | Garry Marshall | |
| The streets of Little Europe doubled as Genovia. The Square of Warriors appeared as the exterior of the royal residence. The Train Station also appeared. Interiors were shot on Stage 22, Stage 23, Stage 27 and Stage 36. | |||