#64: Popeye

Set Piece: Popeye Village

Location: Malta

Production Budget: $20 million*

In the 1980s, the musical film Popeye, featuring the legendary Robin Williams, hit the screens, setting sail from the enchanting Island of Malta. Today, that very spot has transformed into a bustling theme park, offering heaps of family fun against the backdrop of the island’s natural beauty, although the movie’s connection might be a tad thin.

With Williams at the helm, Popeye’s Journey raked in $60 million at the box office. It chronicles the adventures of the spinach-loving sailor and his sweetheart, Olive Oyl, in Sweethaven. Despite its star power, the film faced a stormy production, wrestling with script rewrites and pesky sound issues. Yet, for Williams, it marked just the beginning of a stellar cinematic voyage.