11 February 2023

Berlin, Germany





 
Following 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger and 2014's Captain America: The Winter SoldierCAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR is the third instalment starring Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, better known as superhero Captain America. It is the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, based on characters from the Marvel comic books.

Captain America: Civil War, 1:35:12
Warning: the text may give away details of the plot.
Besides Captain America, this film also features other members of the Avengers, including the first apperance of Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther and Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. On 27 April 2015, filming began at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayetteville, followed by shooting on various locations in Atlanta.

In early August, production moved to Germany where filming in Berlin and Leipzig lasted until 22 August. The film's end credits also lists Iceland as a location. Some sources mention Puerto Rico and Norway as filming locations. New York and Vienna are briefly seen, stock footage may have been used here.
In this movie, the Avengers come face to face after a mission in which innocent people were killed.

Potsdamer Platz,
Berlin, 29 June 2019
The United Nations ask the team to sign the Sokovia Accords stating that the Avengers will be overseen and controlled by a UN panel. Tony Stark/Iron Man and others support the accords; Captain America however is one of the opponents. During a United Nations session in Vienna, where the accords will be concluded, a bomb attack takes place. Among the victims is King T'Chaka of Wakanda. Although Vienna is briefly seen from above, the building is standing, unharmed, in Berlin at Potsdamer Platz. It is the Sony Center, seen from Bellevuestraße. Before World War II, Potsdamer Platz, located in central Berlin, was a busy square. During the war, the buildings were largely destroyed. In 1961, the Berlin Wall was built here across the square. After the fall of the German Democratic Republic in 1989, Potsdamer Platz was redeveloped with many entertainment venues, including the film museum Deutsche Kinemathek, in addition to several high-rise buildings. 

Captain America: Civil War, 0:39:24
Sony Center, Bellevuestraße, Berlin, 29 June 2019

Black Panther, the son of King T'Chaka, tells Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow that he is determined to avenge him. This scene was filmed on the other side of Bellevuestraße near the Henriette-Herz-Park.

Captain America: Civil War, 0:39:44
Henriette-Herz-Park, Berlin, 29 June 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:40:16
Bellevuestraße, Berlin, 29 June 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:40:33
Henriette-Herz-Park, Berlin, 29 June 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:40:37
Bellevuestraße, Berlin, 29 June 2019

The initiator of the bombing appears to be James 'Bucky' Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), once a close friend of Captain America. He flees to the Romanian capital Bucharest. Perhaps this city was chosen because Sebastian Stan was born in Romania and speaks the language. However, this is Berlin all over again: the corner of Leipziger Straße and Jerusalemer Straße.

Captain America: Civil War, 0:40:37
Leipziger Straße, Berlin, 3 July 2019

Captain America and Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) manage to track down Bucky in his Bucharest flat, as does Blank Panther.

During a spectacular chase, the four superheroes end up at the Internationales Congress Centrum Berlin (ICC) on Messedamm. The congress centre, designed by Berlin architects Ralf Schüler and Ursulina Schüler-Witte, was opened in 1979 after a four-year construction period. A stamp was issued to mark the completion of Berlin's most expensive building.
Due to asbestos contamination, the congress building had to be closed in April 2014 and remains abandoned to this day.


Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:40
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:41
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:44
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:46
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:48
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:49
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:48:50
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019

After the jump from the congress building, the chase continues in the parking garage of the ICC, recognisable by the orange tiles on the pillars. Like the congress centre, this space is closed to the public but part of it is visible through the open roof.

Captain America: Civil War, 0:50:16
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:51:32
Internationales Congress Centrum, Berlin, 1 July 2019

The chase ends with Captain America, Bucky, Falcon and Black Panther being apprehended. They are transferred to a prison in Berlin. German's capital is introduced by a view of the Siegessäule (Victory Column) on Großer Stern. This location can also be seen in A Foreign Affair (1948), Wings of Desire (1987) and Homeland (2011), among others.

Captain America: Civil War, 0:54:50
Siegessäule, Berlin, 28 June 2019

The prisoners are driven via the Kapelle-Ufer over the Kronprinzenbrücke (Crown Prince Bridge). After escaping, Captain America and Bucky end up in the waters of the River Spree. The government buildings, connected by the pedestrian bridge Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Steg, are almost all digitally altered. I wonder why an American movie company decides to film in Berlin, where the story is set, only to make the buildings almost unrecognisable.

Captain America: Civil War, 0:55:09
Kapelle-Ufer, Berlin, 4 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 0:55:18
Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Steg, Berlin, 4 July 2019
Captain America: Civil War, 1:10:18
Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Steg, Berlin, 4 July 2019

Screenshots © Marvel
 

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