The Avengers' gives New York City a starring role!
'Only New York is New York,' says director Josh Whedon, who filmed key scenes in BIg Apple.
The epic battle in “The Avengers” is set — where else? — on the streets of New York.
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) knows if he can make it here, he can make it anywhere.
After New Yorkers packed theaters this past weekend for the Marvel action adventure, they saw some familiar landmarks caught in the cross-fire.
The last 40 minutes of the superhero smashup are all set in the heart of the city as a havoc-wreaking alien invasion lays waste to midtown Manhattan.
But given the high cost of unleashing The Hulk on the actual Park Ave. viaduct in front of it, many of the film’s fight scenes took place in stunt-double cities Cleveland and Albuquerque.
Still, director Joss Whedon, born and raised here, made sure filming wrapped up in the genuine article.
“There’s just an energy in that city that we had been trying to evoke in other cities, pretending to be New York and we had a good time, but then you get to New York, and you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, only New York is New York,” says Whedon. “And it really sort of gave me a great buzz.”
Grand Central Terminal takes a special beating.
There are bound to be delays at Grand Central Station in 'The Avengers'.
Central Park, the Staten Island Ferry and the Chrysler Building all have cameos.
Eagle-eyed moviegoers may also notice that Iron Man alter-ego Tony Stark’s tower is actually the famed MetLife building — just with a little CGI renovation.
In the pivotal battle, the Avengers also get a helping hand from some of New York's real-life heroes.
"It was certainly fitting to feature the first responders in the film," says FDNY Commissioner Sal Cassano, who watched a special screening of the movie dedicated to police officers, firefighters and military personnel. "Superheroes can do amazing things on a movie screen, but those everyday heroes do amazing work day in and day out to keep New York City safe."
Hollywood has long loved to rain chaos on the city ever since the original King Kong climbed the Empire State Building in 1933.
New York has been a favorite target of super villains (1980’s “Superman II”), sci-fi invasions (1996’s “Independence Day”), disaster movies (1998’s “Deep Impact”) and rampaging monsters (1998’s “Godzilla”) — all of which leave the city in ruins.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, Tinseltown seemed to back off some — until 2008’s “Cloverfield” made it okay to stomp the Big Apple again.
“If they're including those kind of scenes in Hollywood movies already that means they've tested the hell out of the concept to make sure it would be acceptable,” says Ira Deutchman, chair of the Columbia University School of Arts Film Program. “I think there may still be New Yorkers who cringe a little, but it's clear the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, doesn't.”
A lot has changed since the days when background footage of the twin towers had to be edited out of 2002’s “Spider-Man.”
Whedon’s choice of location for “The Avengers” final battle is also a tip of the cowl to the original Marvel comic books created by Stan Lee and artists Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Bill Everett.
Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, hails from Queens; The Avengers headquarters is actually in Central Park off Fifth Ave.; Daredevil patrols Hell’s Kitchen, and The Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building is at 42nd and Madison.
MARVEL is just trying to keep some things real and down to earth for the fans.