 Besson described the film as an "imaginary excursion", stating he got the inspiration for the film from an abandoned cinema he saw in Paris. Thinking of all the other abandoned buildings there must be in Paris, Besson decided to create a world where all these places were together, and combined this idea with a previous suggestion that he make a feature-length version of his 1981 debut short film, L 'Avant Dernier. Le Dernier Combat was primarily filmed in Paris, with scenes depicted as begin in the desert filmed in Tunisia. Locations for filming in Paris included a former Électricité de France building that was demolished the day after filming was completed, and the derelict area where the Bibliothèque nationale de France was later constructed. The film was shot in black and white and contains only two words of dialogue.
