Filipino Marvel fans are once again lining up in cinemas to watch the latest franchise in the Marvel cinematic universe, “Avengers: Infinity War.”
They have one more reason to go — the movie’s last scene was confirmed to be shot in the Philippines, specifically at the Banaue Rice Terraces.
Avengers Infinity War Was So bitin but great tho. Daming Namatay like 80% of them but Easter Egg: parang nandoon yung banaue rice terraces sa ending
— Euc. (@AloysiusEucO) April 26, 2018
I’m thrilled, cause a scene in Avengers: Infinity War was shot in the Banaue Rice Terraces of the Philippines, a place I visited myself many years ago, but I instantly recognized it! #Avengers #InfinityWar #Philippines #Banaue
— Mads (@pachimari8) April 26, 2018
The scene involves Thanos (Josh Brolin) walking outside a hut as he looks on to the sunset. There are terraced rice paddies behind him that appeared to resemble Philippines’ Banaue Rice Terraces in the Cordillera Region.
Reports confirmed the location and said that “Avengers: Infinity War” did shoot against what is often called the “eighth wonder of the world.”
However, Brolin did not fly to the Philippines. The production team used the footage originally shot by Indochina Productions.
Indochina shared an aerial shot from its footage and praised its staff for helping Marvel Studios.
The film’s IMDB page — specifically the production management credits, the producers and other crew list members — also show that the Philippines was indeed used as one of the locations.
Nicholas Simon, Jane Aguirre, Piyaporn Indageha and Lylie Almeida were listed as those responsible for the production in the Philippines.
Films on location in the Philippines
There are other international production companies who have shot scenes of their Hollywood-based movies in the Philippines as well.
Based on Culture Trip‘s list, here are the films with scenes shot here:
- “The Bourne Legacy” (2012)
- “Thirteen Days” (2000)
- “Brokedown Palace” (1999)
- “DNA” (1997)
- “Platoon” (1986)
- “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989)
- “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982)
- “The Year of Living Dangerously” (1982)
- “Apocalypse Now” (1979)
- “The Boys in Company C” (1978)
The most recent one, “The Bourne Legacy,” gained hype when it shot some of its scenes in Manila and Marikina for two months.
Local actors Joel Torre and Lou Veloso also appeared in the movie, playing the part of the captain and Citrus Samaritan, respectively.
“The Bourne Legacy” also hired at least 15,000 Filipinos as extras.
The international appeal of Banaue Rice Terraces
It’s no surprise that Marvel Studios has chosen the world-renowned padded rice terraces as the setting for their very last scene.
According to BBC Travel, “it is a masterpiece of ancient architectural engineering.”
The terraces were built by the Ifugaos arguably over 2,000 years ago to hold flooded pond fields for rice cultivation. The structure follows the natural contours of the mountains seen in the Cordillera region.
UNESCO stated that it “represents an enduring illustration of an ancient civilization that surpassed various challenges and setbacks posed by modernization.”
The terraces were a testimony to the Ifugao’s impressive rice production and elaborate irrigation system which were not witnessed anywhere else in the world.
UNESCO said, “They (the Ifugaos) offer many lessons for application in similar environments elsewhere.”
Other stunning rice terraces in Asia are found in Yunnan Province in China, Saga Prefecture in Japan, Longsheng County in China and Bali Indonesia.
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