Shubhabrata Dutta
Disney+’s action-adventure movie ‘Thunderbolts*’ turns the tide on a group of enhanced anti-heroes by handing them the task of saving humanity. The 36th movie in the MCU brings together Black Widow assassin Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, AKA Winter Soldier, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker, AKA U.S. Agent, who join forces to stop an inexplicable threat known as the Void, the result of a dark conspiracy.
However, in order to do so, they must let go of their shady pasts and put an end to the Void, or the one behind it, before it’s too late. Doing that is no small feat, and the team will have to pull all its resources and skills, which entails a lot of danger. The Jake Schreier directorial sends the members of the titular group from one location to another for personal or professional needs, and the visuals authentically capture the essence of the morally unhinged risks and the drama involved.
Thunderbolts* Filming Locations
‘Thunderbolts*’ was filmed in Georgia, New York, Utah, Malaysia, and Hungary. Specific locations opted for the shoot are Fayette County and Fulton County in Georgia, New York City in New York, Emery County and Grand County in Utah, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Budapest in Hungary. Principal photography reportedly began in the last week of February 2024 and continued for almost 4 weeks before wrapping up in the third week of June the same year. Some reshoots were carried out in December 2024, too. While Georgia became the base for most indoor scenes, the other locations were used for action sequences and additional scenes.
Fayette County, Georgia
The crew set up camp in Georgia to film the majority of the scenes, especially those requiring controlled environments. In Fayette County, the crew utilized the facilities of the Trilith Studios, located at 461 Sandy Creek Road in Fayetteville, the county seat, for several scenes. These include the sequences inside Void, the Red Room control center, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s command room, and prison bunkers. Boasting 1000 acres of studio space with 34 sound stages, an 80’ x 90’ x 30’ volume screen for virtual production, and 400 acres of backlot, Trilith Studios is one of the largest production facilities in America. It has served as the base for many other Marvel movies, like the ‘Captain America’ movies, the ‘Avengers’ movies, and the ‘Spider-Man’ movies.
Fulton County, Georgia
In Fulton County, the crew accessed the spaces of Atlanta Metro Studios, at 6010 Studio Way in Union City, to film scenes set in urban backdrops as well as for reshoots. A portion of the Avengers Tower was reportedly built and rebranded as ‘Watchtower,’ Valentina’s base of operations. Black cladding was used to highlight the dark aesthetic, in accordance with Valentina’s personality. A penthouse was also constructed from scratch, which serves as the crucial indoor space at the top of the tower. This transformation is a nod to the Marvel comics, since the noughties-era comic-book run shows that Sentry built the Watchtower on top of the Avengers building. A full-scale replica of New York City’s 45th Street was built for the scene where Sentry’s dark side awakens.
The city of Atlanta in Fulton County hosted the filming of the reshoots in December 2024 as well as additional portions. Dubbed the Hollywood of the South, it is a go-to location for major film and TV productions due to its varied urban backdrops and state-of-the-art filming studios, like Atlanta Metro Studios, Tyler Perry Studios, and Pinewood Atlanta Studios. Tourists who want to make the most of the city can visit Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, the College Football Hall of Fame, the World of Coca-Cola, the Fox Theatre, and the Georgia Aquarium. ‘Ironheart‘ is also filmed in the city.
New York City, New York
The crew also taped footage of New York City, including the US Capitol and federal buildings, which was used for establishing shots. Helicopter shots and street-level shots were re-imposed on scenes recorded within the studios mentioned above. The Avengers Tower is based around the MetLife Building at 200 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Talking about how the building was used in ‘Thunderbolts*,’ ILM(Industrial Light & Magic) Visual Effects Supervisor Chad Wiebe revealed that the team redesigned the tower’s base and replaced the building from ground up, using only the city block and the footprint while also recreating large sections of the nearby area. “The key is in the details and making sure you collect enough reference material, such as digital photography, aerial plates, LIDAR scans – the whole nine yards to get as much data as possible so we can build out this environment to be a true depiction of New York City,” he told ILM.
Emery County, Utah
Additionally, the crew shifted to Utah, where production took place over three weeks. In Emery County, located in the east-central part of Utah, a car chase stunt sequence, involving the Thunderbolts team and Bucky on a motorbike, was taped on a mile-long desolate stretch of closed road near the Green River tributary for two weeks. “We had to repave about a third of a mile of it, then paint it to look like it was unpaved,” Schreier told The Salt Lake Tribune. The high temperatures were dealt with using two limousines and five Humvees with desert textures in the backdrop. The length of the road enabled the crew no more than three takes, after which it had to turn around.
An editing team was taken to the location as well, so that when the editors felt like there was another shot needed to fill a gap, it could be taped then and there. The aim was to shoot as much as possible on camera and resort to visual effects only where necessary. The actors, too, had to deliver their lines in as few takes as possible to save production money. “It just was so streamlined…being able to watch that flow and watch how they handle all those little tiny details and make it all come together was really cool to be a part of,” local production coordinator Jennifer Davis told ABC4.com. However, shooting on location was fun, and on one of the off days, the cast attended a rodeo too.
Grand County, Utah
In Grand County, the team captured the opening ambush scene involving Ghost and Red Guardian near Arches National Park in the desert landscape of Moab, the county seat. Military vehicles and drones were utilized to film the sequences in an authentic manner. The Arches National Park is known for over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the famous Delicate Arch, making it a paradise for rock climbers and hikers, albeit with permits. The city is known for many cultural festivals, like the Moab Music Festival, the Folk Festival, the LGBT Pride Festival, and the Skinny Tire Festival. Pugh went zip-lining in the city on an off-day, too.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Malaysia became the base for the production team for less than 14 days. The scene where Yelena Belova jumps from the top of a building was filmed atop the Merdeka 118, a 118-storey skyscraper at Jalan Hang Jebat, AKA Jonker Street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital. It is one of the tallest buildings in the world and even offers two observation decks for tourists to behold the panoramic views of the city. Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena Belova, insisted on performing the stunt herself rather than opting for a stunt double, a decision that was eventually greenlit by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. “Every time there was a lightning strike within five miles of the building, you had to come down off the roof and wait for half an hour until it was all certified again,” Schreier told Timeout.
The crew worked with three engineering firms to certify the safety of the platform that was built for the jump. A lot of logistical coordination, security, and technical support, along with detailed planning for site preparation, was carried out to ensure a smooth filming process without affecting the daily routine of the building. “This is a unique opportunity to showcase Merdeka 118 on the world stage. The appearance of this building in a Hollywood movie not only introduces Malaysia’s new landmark but also promotes Kuala Lumpur as a modern and dynamic destination,” PNB Merdeka Ventures chief executive officer Tengku Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud told Bernama.
The building that Belova lands on top of to fight Sentry is the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, at 12 Jalan Pinang. The five-star luxury hotel overlooks the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and is situated in the heart of the Golden Triangle, the city’s main shopping and nightlife district. It is known for its posh hotels, shopping malls, and restaurants that offer diverse cuisines. Some popular spots you can visit are KLCC Park, a 50-acre urban sanctuary, and Suria KLCC Shopping Centre, home to over 300 flagship stores.
Some scenes were lensed at Medan Pasar Square, a historic market square in Kuala Lumpur. The scene where Yelena walks casually among the crowd after triggering an explosion in a tower at the beginning of the movie is lensed in the area. The building where the explosion occurs is the former Menara HSBC South Tower on Lebuh Ampang Street. The square itself is known for its buildings, many of which date back to the 19th century. One of the most famous landmarks in the square is the Clock Tower, a symbol of the city’s historical evolution. It was built in honor of the coronation of King George VI in 1937.
Budapest, Hungary
A few scenes involving Yelena’s flashback showing the Red Room were reportedly shot in the narrow alleys of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. This makes sense since a lot of ‘Black Widow’ history can be traced back to the global city. Reputed for its historical structures and buildings, Budapest is a top visiting destination for tourists from all over the world. Some of the well-known landmarks that the city is home to are the Parliament of Budapest, Saint Stephen’s Basilica, the Aquincum Museum, the Andrássy út Avenue, the Liberty Bridge, and the Gellért Baths. Other projects filmed in Budapest include ‘Black Widow,’ ‘Countdown,’ ‘Borderlands,’ ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,’ and ‘Terminator: Dark Fate.’
Read More: Where is Ironheart Filmed? All Shooting Locations
