• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Site News / Featured / London on Film: London Filming Locations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

London on Film: London Filming Locations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Nov 3, 2016 By John Rabon

"Marvel's Thor: The Dark World" Ph: Film Frame © 2013 MVLFFLLC. TM & © 2013 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.
“Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World” © 2013 MVLFFLLC. TM & © 2013 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

While many of Marvel’s films have not focused on London, it hasn’t stopped Marvel Studios from filming there, typically at Pinewood or Shepperton Studios.  However, these films have not simply confined themselves to the studio lots and have often moved into the city as well.  At least four Marvel films have used different locations in London, and even this year’s Doctor Strange has filmed in the city as well, having it play the role of New York City.  While London may not have its own Marvel superhero in the cinematic world yet (crossing my fingers for Union Jack or Captain Britain), in the meantime, here are several Marvel filming locations you can visit in the city.

The first movie that features London in any capacity is, perhaps ironically, Captain America: The First Avenger.  Director Joe Johnston helmed this 2011 period flick, a natural for him given his work on The Rocketeer and The Wolfman, the latter of which take place in the city.  He returned to London not only to use it for the scenes occurring during the war but also to double for many American locations.  The first of these follows Steve Rodgers’s demotion to USO war bond salesman, the centerpiece of an elaborate show that’s actually filmed at the Hackney Empire Theatre in East London.

Much as in history, the Strategic Scientific Reserve that Captain America serves following his heroic rescue of the American 107th Battallion is headquartered near Whitehall, with King Charles Street featured as the home of Allied headquarters.  The pub in which Steve recruits the remaining Howling Commandos is actually the Crocker’s Folly at 24 Aberdeen Place.  While facing an uncertain future at one time, it has since been refurbished and reopened, so it doesn’t exactly look like the same place as the movie anymore.  Additionally, scenes of the Allied victory in Trafalgar Square are also featured towards the end of the film.

Captain America was the last film before 2012’s The Avengers, and Iron Man 3 would see release before Thor: The Dark World came to cinemas in 2013.  At least half of the film takes place either in the mystical realm of Asgard or the very real location of London.  The first scene that takes place in the city involves a dinner between Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster and Chris O’Dowd at the OXO Brasserie in OXO Tower.  The dinner is interrupted by her assistant Darcy, who’s discovered some peculiar energy readings in West London.  The particular site they visit is actually the Old Vinyl Factory on Blyth Road, which is a group of buildings that used to be owned by EMI.  It is presently being developed into a multi-use facility that will house office space, residences, restaurants, and shops, so don’t expect the old, abandoned factory (or any wormholes to other dimensions).

After their friend, astrophysicist Dr. Erik Selvig, gets himself arrested for traipsing around Stonehenge naked, the mental hospital he’s committed to is Blythe House in West Kensington.  The film also treats us to several glimpses of the city’s skyscrapers, including the Shard, which was still under construction at the time of filming.  For the final battle of the film, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich provides the setting, and Malekith’s (Christopher Eccleston) ship comes right off the Thames and onto the campus, tearing it up as it goes.  Thor and Malekith also battle their way across the city, flying past St. Paul’s Cathedral and down the side of 30 St. Mary Axe, otherwise known as the Gherkin.

Despite taking place in a galaxy far, far away, Guardians of the Galaxy also has a London filming connection.  Just northwest of the city, Hemel Hampstead Hospital can be seen in the prologue as the hospital in which Peter Quill’s mother is dying.  During an attack on the planet Xandar by the forces of Ronan the Accuser, people flee across the Millennium Bridge.  The Lloyd’s Building’s unusual architecture also came in handy for representing an alien structure in the Xandarian capital.  Moving on to Avengers: Age of Ultron, the first appearance of anything in London actually comes from a place that’s supposed to be in South Africa.  Weapons dealer Ulysses Klaue’s base of operations is a container ship beached off the coast of that nation, but the interior is actually The Printworks on Clapham Road.  As with the Old Vinyl Factory, it’s currently being renovated, so don’t expect to find the same interior you saw in the film.  In a connected scene, when the Scarlet Witch makes Captain America hallucinate on the ship, his mind takes him to a dance hall and his former flame, Peggy Carter.  The place of Steve’s memories was filmed at the Rivoli Ballroom on Brockley Road.

While Doctor Strange filming has taken place in London, it remains to be seen how much of the city doubles for New York until the film’s release.  The production crew cleared the street and brought in New York taxi cabs and cars with NY plates.  Wherever they filmed, it will certainly be fun to tell in November.  And with Doctor Strange’s release, it can be certain that London hasn’t seen the last of Marvel Studios and its heroes.

 

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Featured, Movies

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London
  • Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
  • New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World
  • Pollock’s Toy Museum in London Has Closed Unexpectedly
  • The Fiver:  Five Live-Action Children’s Shows Set in London
  • In Pictures: Winter Lights festival returns to London for first time since 2020
  • Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in