A whole new world
Director Alan Taylor wanted
the world of Asgard to
feel believable, relatable
and lived-in. The goal is
to hearken back to the
mythology’s Scandinavian
roots and imbue the film
with that classic Viking look
and feel. Everything from
the sets, locations and the
armour the characters
wear, to the make-up and
special effects employed
by the film aim to ground
the experience in reality and
make the journey feel more
meaningful, more human.
Production designer
Charles Wood had his
hands full ensuring Taylor’s
vision was properly
captured. Whereas in
the first film much of the
time spent in Asgard was
confined to the palace, the
sequel explores far more
of its surrounds – and
Taylor wanted it to feel as
though the Asgardian realm
contained thousands of
years of history, brandishing
its own culture and texture.
The desired effect
was captured using a
combination of real-world
locations and expansive,
purpose-built outdoor
sets. Inspiration was drawn
from the actual comic
books and the wealth
of material they provide,
and further research was
done by studying a variety
of historical and modern
architectural styles, as well
as looking at a variety of
techniques for lighting and
atmosphere before moving
forward with the final
concept.
In October of 2012,
shooting on the film finally
began at Shepperton
Studios in England. Key
locations in London
– including St. Paul’s
Cathedral, Borough Market
and Wembley – were
visited, as was Bourne
Wood in Surrey and
Stonehenge in Wiltshire.
The crew also shot on
location in Iceland, because
its black, volcanic landscape
proved perfect to depict
the Dark Elf homeworld
of Svartalfheim. It’s been
hailed as one of the most
extensive filming projects
ever undertaken in Iceland.
Shooting was wrapped in
December 2012.
The streets
of Asgard /
Medina set
is the biggest ever
built for a Marvel
movie. Were you to
visit it, you could
actually walk the
streets of Asgard
and visit the training
ground, and see the
shops and pubs.
The impressive list of talent
involved in the project alone is
enough to get excitement levels
rising. While not all of Marvel’s
movies manage to live up to the
ridiculous amount of hype they
inevitably garner, one thing always
stands true, from their opening
moments all the way through to
when the credits begin rolling:
they’re an absolute blast to watch,
and a real feast for the eyes,
116
particularly for comic book fans
keen to see life breathed into their
favourite heroes on the big screen.
Whether or not Thor: The Dark
World will uphold the expectations
set by the first movie – especially
since news of a new director at the
helm of a project always makes fans
understandably wary – remains
to be seen, but all signs presently
point to it being a must-see comic
book movie.?
feature / movies / Thor: The Dark World