Thor: Ragnarok Will Be Partially Set In New York

Even though Marvel Studios has said Thor: Ragnarok will be largely set away from Earth, it looks like Thor can’t stray far from New York for all that long. To ease the god’s separation anxiety, it looks like the film will be partially set in New York judging by new set photos.

Currently filming in Brisbane, Thor: Ragnarok is set to cause major traffic disruptions this week in the city. The film’s NY set is being built throughout downtown Brisbane, making it easy for curious onlookers to notice the distinctly New York props littering the city. While there was no sign of Thor or Loki, pictures show several vehicular props being trucked onto set. For example, a line of classic yellow taxis, a school bus, and an ambulance with New York decals were seen on location. And, what’s more, local traffic signals were given a makeover as workers placed yellow casings around them to mimic New York’s lights.

So, it looks like fans can expect Thor: Ragnarok to feature some sort of return to Earth. However, as for what the visit might entail, no one knows for sure. Marvel is being tight-lipped about the film’s story line, so fans can only speculate as to why New York will be in the film.

It wasn’t all that long ago that Kevin Feige said Thor: Ragnarok “takes place within the cosmos primarily which is to say, frankly, very little Earth.” Fans were excited to hear the news considering Thor and Thor: The Dark World spent much of their time Earthbound. As such, fans are now wondering whether the NY set will be used sparingly, and it seems like it might be.

After all, with Mark Ruffalo having finished his work on set, it’s unlikely that the scientist and his alter ego will visit Earth. As such, the most likely culprits moviegoers will find in New York are either Thor or Loki. But, according to Geek, there could be an even more likely suspect.

The site previously said their sources confirmed Anthony Hopkins was returning for Thor: Ragnarok to reprise his role of Odin. Unsurprisingly, the announcement hasn’t been confirmed by either Marvel or Hopkins’ camp, but Geek said Odin will be seen on Earth in the film. Rather than ruling Asgard, Odin either fled or was banished to Earth after Loki replaced the King at the end of Thor: The Dark World. So, since a NY set is being built for the third Thor flick, it could be because Thor is trying to locate his dear old dad. As for Odin, well, he’s probably off leading a cult of apocalypse theorists given his connection to Ragnarok.

So, while this set news might be exciting for fans, it seems to be anything but for Brisbane locals. The project’s shooting schedule will gridlock the city’s traffic, and the set’s manager has asked locals to be patient with the delay. In a letter, Duncan Jones said:

“Whilst we will make every effort to reduce disruption, please anticipate short delays due to traffic detours and traffic and pedestrian hold and releases. These delays are necessary to maintain public safety throughout filming, and we kindly ask for your patience. To you, the people of Brisbane, we are grateful for your understanding and support…This is a unique experience for us all and we look forward to showing the world how wonderful you and your beautiful city is.”

And that plea doesn’t even mention the particularly ‘punny’ Facebook post Queensland’s Department of Transportation published.

Thor: Ragnarok is set to hit theaters next November.