Thor: Ragnarok success may mean more Marvel movies for Queensland: Kevin Feige

QUEENSLAND could be in the box seat to attract more blockbuster superhero movies after receiving a glowing review from the boss of Marvel Studios.

QUEENSLAND could be in the box seat to attract more blockbuster superhero movies.

During San Diego Comic-Con at the weekend, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described the Gold Coast set of Thor: Ragnarok as “by far the happiest, most pleasant, most effective set that I’ve ever been on”.

He added: “And I don’t know if that’s (director) Taika (Waititi), I don’t know if there’s something in the water there in Australia, if that’s the crews, but that’s a fact.”

The comments came as star Chris Hemsworth revealed he had pitched shooting on the Gold Coast three years ago following the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

A number of cast members went on to praise the wild off-set antics during the Ragnarok shoot, which stretched from July until October last year.

Tessa Thompson said it was “scandalous”, while Karl Urban added, “There were a few shenanigans,” labelling Waititi the “ringmaster”.

Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in Thor: Ragnarok. Picture: Marvel Studios

“We got less work done because I took them down to Dreamworld, Movie World, a few drinks, a few restaurants. It was great actually,” Hemsworth added.

The Byron Bay local has since brought a number of high profile friends to the region, including Hollywood heavyweight Matt Damon.

On working with Cate Blanchett in the film, he added: “It was wildly intimidating but she is one of my favourite people on the planet.”

Blanchett said during a panel discussion that she became involved in the Marvel world at the request of her children.

Of her casting alongside Hemsworth, Feige said: “They’re two Australian legends, they’re two acting legends, and that’s never a bad thing to get them together in a movie.”

The first two films in the Thor series earned more than $1 billion USD at the global box office while the filming of Thor: Ragnarok was expected to inject $100 million into the Queensland economy.

Originally published as Thor: Ragnarok success may mean more Marvel movies for Queensland: Kevin Feige