Avengers filming irks Joburgers

The filming of The Avengers: Age of Ultron resulted in the closure of a number of roads, including Rissik, Commissioner, Pritchard, Albertina Sisulu and Joubert streets.

A motorist, who usually travels from the south to the CBD in about 20 minutes, was in traffic for over an hour yesterday morning as the alternative routes, such as Marshall and Anderson streets, were clogged with traffic.

Metro police Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar confirmed the closed roads were to be opened at 11pm last night.

“On Wednesday, one lane will be blocked on Von Brandis Street between Commissioner Street and Main Street. Rissik Street will be open from 5am to midnight,” he said.

Minnaar added that no arrests had been made, regardless of media reports of chaos in the city as a result of the traffic.

“There were no major incidents reported. Filming is expected to end on Sunday,” he said.

The sequel to the $1.5 billion-grossing (about R15 billion) film will feature actors Robert Downey Jnr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Johansson as superheroes Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Black Widow. None of the actors were said to be in the country for filming.

The traffic congestion was the price to pay for the exposure the film will bring the city.

Gauteng Film Commission’s Desmond Mthembu confirmed that Johannesburg would star as itself in the film, scheduled for release on May 1, 2015.

“Often you find filmmakers will shoot in Johannesburg and portray the location as Los Angeles. This time the first 10 minutes of the film will be of Johannesburg.”