An exceptional cinema city – kudupinter World News Network

When in November 2024 trucks, cranes, projectors and celluloid stars took over the heart of Oviedo to film the new Marvel film, few people imagined that this gesture would only be the beginning of a new stage. Today, with the passage of projects like ‘ … Fantastic Four: First Steps or The Professor, with Javier Gutiérrez, Oviedo consolidates itself not only as a cinema setting, but as a real commitment to the audiovisual industry and cinema tourism.

Filming of “Fantastic Four: First Steps”

The popular statue of Woody Allen in its urban center can be a good starting point for lovers of cinema, but also of architecture, sculpture, history… This is the case of the Calatrava building, and other emblematic enclaves which have served as a setting for international blockbusters, thanks to the attractiveness of its modern/avant-garde architecture. In Calatrava’s case, it was the headquarters of the United Nations in the Marvel film “Fantastic Four: First Steps”, but this has also happened with urban or natural environments, as in the case of the aforementioned “Professor”.

Economic and tourist impact

This status as a “city of cinema” provides an exceptional economic contribution, both in terms of direct and indirect employment. In the case of the Marvel film alone, a direct economic return estimated at 3.2 million euros was generated (more than 850 people participated in the filming, with hundreds of contracts, local extras, hotel nights and hospitality expenses, demonstrating that the audiovisual industry can be a real driver of the local economy). Hotels, restaurants, service companies, rentals, transport, logistics… all took advantage of these days when Hollywood moved to Oviedo.

This double aspect “blockbusters + national cinema” can allow a sustainable and diversified strategy to position Oviedo as an attractive destination for film production, as an ideal environment to attract new filming and, therefore, the creation of a system of production companies, studios, technicians, creatives, etc., a small local “film industry”, a competitive audiovisual “hub” for films, series, advertising.

And, as happens in other places on the planet, this audiovisual production activity can generate great visibility for Oviedo, as a center of “cinematographic tourism”: with filming routes, guided tours, events, festivals… taking advantage of the mix of historical and modern architecture and nature. At any time and on any occasion, with the possibility of enjoying the wide range of tourist activities in the principality.

If the authorities, the private sector and local talents join forces and commit, the city can consolidate itself as a benchmark for cinema in northern Spain. The present of a future in which “filming in Oviedo” is undoubtedly an attractive, profitable and recurring option.