The residents of Del Mar, California, weren't the only ones excited with the prospect that Marvel Studios highly anticipated
Thor movie would use their beautiful coast to film a scene. It would have been the first studio film of this magnitude to do so; which would have given a hefty boost to the local economy.
Thor movie fans were excited for a completely different reason, namely, the opportunity for the first leaked set pictures showcasing the film's noble Asgardians. The scene, which would have utilized a 300-yard stretch of Del Mar's beach, revolved around Thor (portrayed by Chris Hemsworth) and six of his fellow Asgardians galloping on horseback along the coast line.
On February 8th, 2010, the Del Mar city council had voted unanimously to allow Parmount to use their desired real estate for filming. They even went as far as to issue a news release stating their impending joy to have the cast and crew in their city. Apparently, they jumped the gun with their celebration.
"There were no negotiations at all," said city representative Patrick Vergne.
"We tried to call them several times to get an update, and then we received a letter that they selected a different site." The letter, from Paramount Pictures, informed the city that it has instead chosen an undisclosed Northern California location to film the beachfront scene. The reason behind the move? Cost concerns with moving the multi-million production too far away from its headquarters.
Is production cost really the root of the problem? Very doubtful, considering the estimated $150 million budget for the film. The production even went as far as to build an entire city in New Mexico for the sole purpose of filming.
I believe Del Mar received a cold shoulder from the studio once they caught wind of the droves of fans and amateur photographers who were planning on camping out at the beachfront location. Though the cast and crew have been filming
Thor for months, the only unofficial images that have hit the internet involved giant ice set pieces and construction trucks. I have a strong feeling the risk of letting someone leak the first pictures of Thor in full Asgardian attire was too much for the studio to ignore.
It appears we'll have to wait, even longer, for that highly anticipated first look.
Thor stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Jaime Alexander, Samuel L. Jackson and Renee Russo; and is scheduled for a May 2011 theatrical release.