The Marvel Cinematic Universe or MCU features fictional characters and, sometimes, made-up worlds. However, in most parts, the locations shown in the blockbuster movies are very real places that any fan can visit. Although a bulk of the movies are filmed in studios in Georgia, often, the comic book movie franchise steps out of the United States and heads to the United Kingdom to feature sights that may or may not be familiar to the viewers.
Every MCU fan wants to see the real-life locations used for their favorite superhero movie where, for a short moment, you can feel like you are in a world where the good always triumphs against the bad. Here is a quick guide to help you explore the UK as seen in a Marvel movie.
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’
Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland, a British actor) is a New Yorker, but the final act of Spider-Man: Far from Home happens in London. In the movie, a follow-up to Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter and his friends crosses the Atlantic Ocean on a class trip to explore Europe. First, they hit up Venice in Italy and then Prague in the Czech Republic before arriving in London where things go horribly wrong. The third act sees the young hero get into a major battle with Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) with London as a backdrop.
You will see the Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St. Prancas, and the Shard. Spider-Man: Far from Home is by far the movie from the MCU that filmed the most number of scenes in London.
If you ever decide to head to London and see the same places where Spidy fought Mysterio, you should find a great hostel in Central London where many of these landmarks are located. It would be easier for you to find memorable landmarks featured in the movie as ell as other tourist spots from this part of London.
‘Thor: The Dark World’
In the second installment of Thor, the Asgardian (played by Chris Hemsworth) lands in London to face off with Malekith (Chris Eccleston), the leader of the Dark Elves and the main villain of Thor: The Dark World. Before the big battle, however, there was a fun scene where Thor, in pursuit of Malekith, had to ride the London Underground. He boards a train in Charing Cross and then alights at Greenwich.
That is when chaos ensues. Malekith’s giant spaceship reaps through the quadrangle of the Royal Naval College. Spoiler alert: Thor saves the day.
The movie ends with another view of London, on Jane Foster’s (Natalie Portman) balcony in Southwark. Behind them, you can see the Shard and a half-built Walkie-Talkie building.
‘Captain America: The First Avenger’
Captain America’s first movie, Captain America: The First Avenger, was ironically mostly filmed in the UK. The movie shot scenes from Liverpool and Manchester in place of old-world Brooklyn.
Famous London landmarks also appear briefly in the movie. You would see King Charles Street as an Allied HQ and Hackney Empire in the scene where a thin Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) watches a cinema reel.
‘Doctor Strange’
Only one scene in Doctor Strange featured London, but it is an exciting one. The movie opens with The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) battling Kaescilius (Mads Mikkelsen). The scene took place in Great Scotland Yard, right across the Sherlock Holmes pub.
Stephen Strange is, of course, played by Benedict Cumberbatch who also portrayed the cocky Arthur Conan Doyle detective in BBC’s Sherlock. It is hard to imagine that the particular location was not an homage to the popular television series.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
London is harder to spot in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but it is there. The Earth scene was set in the United States, but a portion of the space setting was actually from the UK.
If you look really close, you may be able to make out the Millenium Bridge and Lloyd’s Building. Both locations are heavily edited and made to look like the futuristic landscape of the planet Xandar.
‘Black Panther’
Marvel, and Hollywood for that matter, like to use an existing location and call it something else. That is the case with the “Museum of Great Britain,” supposedly in London, which was featured in the opening of Black Panther and where Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) steals a vibranium pickaxe.
The museum is not actually shot in London. The exterior shown was actually the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.
The UK is a vibrant city with a rich history and some of the most iconic landmarks in the world. Being the backdrop of some of these popular superhero movies make exploring the nation more exciting.
