The premiere of Jon Favreau's 2008 film Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an unparalleled franchise that completely revolutionized the film industry and the entire world. This universe, made up of movies, TV series, short films, and other productions, features heroes and villains from Marvel Comics, and soon became one of the highest-grossing franchises in history, boosting the popularity of the already well-known characters and launching the careers of dozens of actors to stardom. Currently, the MCU is going through its fifth phase, which began with the movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania last February. Earlier this month, this stage welcomed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, a film that proved to be a box-office hit and earned rave reviews.
Naturally, MCU movies and TV series involve a great deal of CGI to achieve the awe-inspiring scenes that make it to the silver screen in productions such as The Avengers, Black Panther, and Doctor Strange. However, despite their use of green screens and advanced technology, the filmmakers responsible for this cinematic universe also employ a number of real locations for their films. As a result, the film crew and cast members are often required to travel to different venues around the world, and these become popular spots included in sightseeing tours and visited by fans who want to snap a picture where their movie idols have been. From restaurants to universities, passing through natural wonders and airports, here are 15 real locations that were used to film MCU movies.
15 Shawarma Palace — The Avengers
The 2012 film The Avengers was the one in which the now-loved superheroes joined forces for the first time as a team to defend New York City. Once they are done battling, and at Iron Man's suggestion, the group wraps up the day by eating shawarma at a restaurant known as Shawarma Palace. This is a post-credits scene from the movie that was actually shot after the original premiere in order to add it before its wide release.
The location for this scene was Elat Burger, a Los Angeles restaurant that later changed its name to Shalom Grill. Of course, like many of the things featured in Marvel movies, shawarma became super popular after The Avengers was released with sales soaring exponentially.
14 Warrior Falls — Black Panther
Warrior Falls is a site in Black Panther where different characters duel in ritual combats for the crown of Wakanda, and although the main focus here are these tough battles, the audience can still appreciate the natural beauty in the background. While the scenes featuring the actors were shot in an Atlanta studio, the waterfall footage was captured at Iguazu Falls, the world's longest waterfall system located between Argentina and Brazil.
13 Xandar Plaza — Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy is one of the most CGI-intensive in the entire MCU. However, a few real locations have been used for these films. Early in the first installment, Peter Quill steals a mysterious Orb on Morag, which he later tries to sell on Xandar, capital of the Nova Empire. He is confronted by Gamora, which leads to an epic fight in Xandar Plaza that ends with them, Rocket and Groot being captured by Nova Corps officer and sent to prison. These fight scenes were filmed in Belgium, more precisely at the Liege-Guillemins Railway Station.
12 Randy's Donuts — Iron Man 2
In one of the most iconic scenes of Iron Man 2, Tony Stark is spotted wearing his Iron Man armor, eating donuts and drinking coffee while sitting on the giant donut sign located on the roof of Randy's Donuts. Eventually, his peace is interrupted by Nick Fury, who brings him down to have a conversation and, subsequently, reveal Natasha Romanoff's true identity.
This donut store exists in real life and bears the same name. It is located in Inglewood and was built in 1953 by Russell C. Wendell. Scenes inside the cafe, however, were shot at another California establishment called Yum Yum Donuts.
11 Pier 13 — Captain America: The First Avenger
After Steve Rogers undergoes his transformation by being subjected to the super-soldier treatment, an undercover Hydra agent flees the place stealing the serum, which forces Steve to go looking for him. Thus, he chases the agent throughout Pier 13, although his efforts are in vain: once he catches him, the man commits suicide. These scenes from Captain America: The First Avenger were shot outside the Titanic Hotel, located in Stanley Dock, Liverpool.
10 Midtown High School — Spider-Man: Homecoming
Besides saving the world as Spider-Man, Peter Parker is just a teenager who, as any other, must attend school. For that reason, educational institutions are heavily present throughout all the Spider-Man movies. The superhero played by Tom Holland and his friends attend the fictional Midtown School of Science and Technology, located in Queens, New York City in Spider-Man: Homecoming. To shoot the hero's scenes at school, filmmakers chose several schools in Atlanta and Brooklyn, including Henry W. Grady High School and Franklin K. Lane High School.
9 Tower City Center, Cleveland, Ohio — The Avengers
In one particular scene from The Avengers, Loki intercepts a group of people in Germany, forces them to kneel before him and delivers a speech on how humankind was made to be ruled by other people. When an old man in the crowd rebels against Loki's demands, he attempts to assassinate him to further display his power, though fortunately Captain America arrives to rescue the man. This scene was not actually shot in Germany, but at the Tower City Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
8 Culver University — The Incredible Hulk
As in Holland's Spider-Man trilogy, educational institutions also play a big role in The Incredible Hulk, since, before his transformation, Bruce Banner worked as a nuclear physicist and biochemist at Culver University. This institution appears in many moments of this 2008 film, and it is also the setting for one of the film's most epic battles. To create Culver University, filmmakers employed two real places in Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto and Morningside Park.
7 Leipzig-Halle Airport — Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Civil War begins with The Avengers divided over the news that a United Nations panel would be put in charge of controlling the team: while Tony Stark supports this decision, Steve Rogers is against it, which results in them splitting into two parties. Eventually, all these superheroes find themselves in an epic fight at an airport, which also has its fair share of comedy. These scenes, which certainly involved a great deal of CGI, were filmed at the Leipzig-Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Germany.
6 Hydra Research Base — Avengers: Age of Ultron
The 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron kicks off with this group of superheroes battling in a Sokovia forest to access Hydra's base in order to retrieve Loki's scepter. Along the way they cross paths with Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, two of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker's test subjects, and as a result of this encounter, Hawkeye ends up wounded. These opening scenes were shot in two different locations: exteriors were filmed in Ford Bard, Italy, while the scenes within the Hydra base were shot in Dover Castle, England.
5 Forests of Asgard —a Thor: Ragnarok
After Hela's comeback was triggered by Odin's death, a wave of disaster and destruction is unleashed on Asgard. In the midst of all this, in Thor: Ragnarok, Heimdall leads a group of surviving Asgardians through Asgard's forests to find a safe refuge for them, though along the way he has to battle several enemies. To shoot these scenes, filmmakers made use of two real locations in Queensland, Australia: the Tamborine National Park and Cedar Creek Falls.
4 Neptune’s Net — Iron Man 3
In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark meets James Rhodes for lunch at Neptune's Net, a famous seafood restaurant in Malibu, to discuss some business-related matters and the rebranding of War Machine to Iron Patriot. While there, Stark is approached by some kids asking for autographs and, during this interaction, he suffers a severe anxiety attack that prompts him to run out of the place. While Neptune's Net is a real restaurant that has been featured in dozens of famous movies, these scenes were shot at Dania Beach Bar & Grill, a restaurant located in Dania Beach, Florida.
3 Dairy Queen — Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
At the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Ego takes Meredith Quill to a forest behind a restaurant called Dairy Queen to show her a seed he planted. Thirty-four years later, that seed grew and completely destroyed the restaurant. While these scenes were shot at BB's Café in Stone Mountain, Georgia, picking the Dairy Queen was not fortuitous. In fact, according to what director James Gunn said in an interview, per CBR, he chose that restaurant because of the drastic redesign its logo underwent over the years.
2 The Royal Naval College — Thor: The Dark World
In one of the most epic battles of the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World, Odin's son is forced to fight one more time against Dark Elf Malekith and his army of invaders. Naturally, as happens in most of the battles and combats of the MCU, the area where the confrontation takes place is shattered and people who are walking around flee in fear of being injured. In this case, the location chosen to film Thor's battle with Malekith was the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London.
1 Exeter College — Doctor Strange
In Doctor Strange, villain and sorcerer Kaecilius enters Kamar-Taj to steal several pages of the Book of Cagliostro, belonging to the Ancient One. Although the villain and his group of minions, the Zealots, are confronted by the Ancient One in a battle inside the Mirror Dimension, they manage to escape. With those pages, Kaecilius conjures a spell to contact Dormammu, asking for his powers in exchange for merging the Dark Dimension with the Earth. This whole incantation was cast with a towering church as witness. This scene from the 2016 film was shot in Oxford, England, inside the chapel of Exeter College.
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