Area 57, Location Classified | MCU Location Scout

Helicopter flying over Area 57. Text: Area 57 Location Classified.

They are dangerous and powerful, which makes them extremely valuable to the guys who run this place.

Origin stories are often painful and scary. So too with this frightened foursome, who have been relocated to a secret military base identified only as Area 57.

The production replaces the warehouse look of the Baxter Institute with the warehouse look of Area 57 for the last half of the film. The interiors of the base are presumed to have been filmed on the soundstages of Baton Rouge. But the establishing shots were filmed much further north.

According to the visual effects team at Rodeo FX, they used a background plate from “a fitting location in British Columbia, where we eventually shot some aerial plates to integrate around our military base.” That base was inspired by Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, but created entirely digitally. The tarmac of the base (where Reed and others exit from the cargo plane) was digitally created by Rodeo FX. Behind-the-scenes photos show that this ground-level footage was captured in the studio with greenscreen backgrounds.

The “fitting location” in British Columbia turned out to be Widgeon Valley National Wildlife Area in Vancouver. An untouched effects plate of the valley can be seen below, courtesy of Rodeo FX.

  • Helicopter flying over Area 57.
  • Reed on a surgical table in Area 57.
  • Franklin in a control room at Area 57.
  • Franklin looking into a lab room at Area 57.
  • Nighttime aerial view of Area 57.
  • Aerial of Area 57 base.
  • Aerial of Area 57 base.
  • Army and staff in the hallway of Area 57.
  • A transport plane flying over Area 57.
  • People disembarking a cargo plane at Area 57.
  • People disembarking a cargo plane at Area 57.
  • People disembarking a cargo plane at Area 57.
  • Reed and Dr Allen in a hallway of Area 57.
  • Reed and Dr Allen in a the lab of Area 57.
  • Reed in a the lab of Area 57.
  • Behind the scene image of Area 57 background plate
    Behind-the-scenes image of Area 57 background plate. Courtesy of Rodeo FX.

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(Fantastic Four: Fant4stic, 2015)