ragnarok-news:

THOR could throw Brisbane into traffic chaos as the Marvel blockbuster hits the city next week.

Cameras
are set to roll in the CBD from Monday until Thursday as part of the
Hollywood production, with controversial road closures on Mary St,
Albert St, Margaret St and the Margaret St off-ramp on the Pacific
Motorway from this week until August 26.

Businesses in the area
yesterday reported receiving a letter from Asgard Productions III Pty
Ltd, claiming to be the producers of a feature film called Creature Report – Thor: Ragnarok’s working title – outlining the filming schedule of “day sequences” and affected streets.

Australian
Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said he was
disappointed the organisation had not been contacted about the closures.

“Our concern would be whether it made it difficult for customers to reach the businesses,” he said.

“We
have not been advised about this, and this is the type of thing we
could have helped with had we known, (by) assisting in informing all the
retailers in the area and ensuring they were all prepared.

“We
appreciate these things have to happen from time to time, but we hope
the Government and council have the good sense to take in peak shopping
times.”

However, Mr Zimmerman said he understood the positive effect Thor: Ragnarok, starring Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth would have for Brisbane in the long term.

“When
the film comes out it will encourage people to go out and look at the
areas it was shot in and that’s a positive,” he said.

Many businesses were buzzing with excitement at the prospect of having some of the world’s biggest stars at their doorstep.

“I’m super excited to be able to go star searching and try to walk into shot,” Lisa Hodgkinson of COTA Queensland said.

“It
shows that Brisbane city is good enough to be showcased on screen and
is really coming into its own – but I’m going to totally curse the
traffic jams.”

One Albert St store manager, who did not wish to be
named, said: “It’s really cool they’re shooting in Brisbane, but from a
business point of view, the road closures are a bit of a pain.”

Sir
Anthony Hopkins was yesterday spotted in Port Macquarie, NSW,
reportedly en route to Queensland for filming. British actor Ray
Stevenson has also arrived in town.

Thor to lock down Brisbane CBD for week of filming