A press conference was apparently held today where Marvel Studios officials further confirmed Ohio's NASA Plum Brook Center's Space Power Facility doubling for a "
S.H.I.E.L.D Research Facility" in
The Avengers, but also that Jeremy Renner's 'Hawkeye' will film scenes alongside Samuel L. Jackson's 'Nick Fury'.
UPDATE: The
Morning Journal have been tipped details for the shoot, as well other actors who appeared on set, from the film's co-producer.
Both Latcham and NASA officials were tight-lipped with regard to plot details, but Latcham hinted at fight scenes being shot inside the facility. “Well, it is a big action movie,” he said. He added that Plum Brook came to the filmmakers’ attention after art director Richard Johnson had passed on it for the latest “Transformers” movie. It became an ideal location for “The Avengers” after shooting was scheduled in nearby downtown Cleveland, Latcham said. He also said stars that have been on set at Plum Brook include Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson.
Jeremy Latcham, co-producer of the movie for Marvel Studios, said the scenes at Plum Brook have used Renner, Samuel L. Jackson (as SHIELD head Nick Fury) and other actors playing SHIELD agents. In the movie, NASA will be said to be cooperating with SHIELD, Marvel's superspy agency that created The Avengers.
Latcham said several of the stars and crew have gone to Put-in-Bay in their free time and many plan to get to Cedar Point. He said the actors are staying in a Cleveland hotel and driving to Sandusky for the filming.
Richard Sorge, test program manager for NASA, said Marvel has been a great tenant."We cleaned out everything in the building down to the bare walls and let them come in and dress it up any way they wanted," he said. "It was the first time we had a perfectly clean bay area. A lot of stuff accumulated there over the years."
Medical Mutual Vice President Jared Chaney said he smiles when he looks out his office window onto East Ninth and sees new facades on buildings making the avenue resemble 42nd Street in New York."They rebuilt the street, and it looks fantastic. Better than it has in a long time," he said. "I hate to see them blow it up."
Chaney said when Medical Mutual was approached about having the exterior of its headquarters transformed into a New York street, the approval was instant. Marvel insisted on paying $20,000, which Medical Mutual then gave to the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.
Marvel's The Avengers picks up when an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security. And Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. With director Joss Whedon at it's helm, and an ensemble cast including Chris Evans
(Steve Rogers), Robert Downey Jr.
(Tony Stark), Chris Hemsworth
(Thor Odinson), Jeremy Renner
(Clint Barton), Mark Ruffalo
(Bruce Banner), Scarlett Johansson
(Natasha Romanoff), Clark Gregg
(Agt. Phil Coulson), Cobie Smulders
(Maria Hill), Samuel L. Jackson
(Nick Fury), with Tom Hiddleston
(Loki Laufeyson), and Stellan Skarsgard
(Professor Erik Selvig), the film releases worldwide May 4, 2012!