a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Marvel Pays millions to Royal Family for filming at Windsor Great Park; Thor returns for a New Adventure in ‘King & Country'
Marvel Studios is reportedly spending millions to film the next Avengers installment at Windsor Great Park—one of the UK's most historic royal estates. The blockbuster will feature
Chris Hemsworth
's Thor in a storyline titled King & Country, alongside returning fan favorites Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto and Tom Hiddleston as Loki.
Royal Approval and Windsor Access
According to The Herald Sun, King Charles—who serves as Ranger of Windsor Great Park—was informed about the project, even though he was at Balmoral during filming preparations. While the exact sum paid by Disney-owned Marvel Studios remains undisclosed, insiders say the amount runs into several million pounds.
Revenue That Benefits the Crown
Windsor Great Park is owned by the Crown Estate, of which the King receives 25% of annual profits. The filming fees paid by Marvel will go toward the park's maintenance and upkeep, making this a mutually beneficial arrangement.
As one source put it, 'several million pounds is chicken feed to Marvel when their movies make billions.'
Royal Family's Film Ties
The Royal Family has long shown interest in cinematic ventures. King Charles, a patron of the British Film Institute, attended the Gladiator II premiere last year. Prince William has served as BAFTA's president since 2010. In 2023, William and Kate even took Prince George and Princess Charlotte to visit the sets of Amazon's The Rings of Power in Ascot.
Summer Filming with Star Power
Planning documents reveal that up to 300 cast and crew members will be on-site this summer. Two key sets—Luke Cage's house and Annie Reynolds' house—have been listed, although the exact scenes remain under wraps.
Annie Reynolds is speculated to be a new character, introduced as the mother of Sentry. In the meantime, Luke Cage, the superhero renowned for his tremendous strength and indestructible skin, has a house built in the American style of the 1960s. A Box Office Hit Deserving of Royal Attention With the global box office success of Avengers: Endgame at over £2 billion, anticipation for this next installment is great. Additionally, because the movie is being filmed almost in their backyard, insiders suggest that the Royal Family may even pay a surprise visit to the scene, possibly to see Thor brandishing his hammer once more.
