Star role for cathedral in box office smasher
AVENGERS: Infinity War has officially recorded the biggest box office opening ever.
But if you went to see the superhero blockbuster at the weekend did you recognise Durham Cathedral?
Scenes for the latest instalment in the Marvel franchise were shot at the iconic landmark.
Infinity War now boasts the highest-grossing opening weekend of all time having already made more than £450m in worldwide ticket sales.
A huge team of cast and crew descended on Durham for a week in May last year.
Chris Hemsworth, who stars as Thor, was pictured in the city at the time of the shoot.
Brothers Anthony and Joe Russo have directed the film. Joe revealed: “You’ll see quite a bit of the cathedral (in Infinity War).
“It won’t be represented as what it is, it is standing in for something else in the film but you’re going to see a significant amount in the film.”
The star-studded Avengers cast also includes Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston.
It is not the first time Durham Cathedral has been seen on the big screen having featured heavily in the Harry Potter series.
When asked why it has been chosen for the Avengers, Joe added: “It’s stunning and one of the great cathedrals of Europe. It’s beautiful.
“It is a movie of incredible scale and we need locations like Durham Cathedral to satisfy that level of scale.”
There is a special thank you to the cathedral at the end of the film’s credits, which are worth staying for if you want to see an extra secret scene. Avengers filming at Durham Cathedral The Russo brothers will also direct the as-yet untitled Avengers film scheduled for release in 2019.
The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham, was asked what impact the movie could have on tourism in the city.