The apocalyptic final battle scenes for the Hollywood fantasy
blockbuster “Wrath of the Titans,” directed by Jonathan Liebesman, were
completed in July 2011 at a quarry location, near Merthyr Tydfil after an
extensive search for an appropriate ‘hell on Earth’ site. The production
travelled to Bannau Brycheiniog National Park for the final two weeks of filming in
order to shoot the explosive battle scene in which man takes on the ferocious
powers of the Underworld.
The 3D and IMAX 3D film, which is the sequel to the 2010 film “Clash of
the Titans” has a spectacular cast, including Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes,
Liam Neeson, Danny Huston, Édgar Ramírez, Bill Nighy, Toby Kebbell and Rosamund
Pike.
Queen Andromeda, played in the film by Rosamund Pike, has a military camp at
Argos which was built at a slate quarry on the outskirts of Merthyr Tydfil,
once the largest town in Wales. Coincidentally, the area has its own royal—and
violent—history: it was named for Saint Tydfil, the daughter of King Brychan of
Brycheiniog, who was slain in approximately 480 A.D.
The ruined quarry, at an undisclosed location, heralded the spectacular
emergence of Kronos from his ages-long confinement, with legions of two-torso
Makhai raging through the battlefield in a swarm of death and destruction.
The filming for the fantasy action took place during the summer of 2011 with
nearly 1,000 cast and crew descending on the area, with special permission
being sought to use the quarry and then reclose it once filming was complete.
Samantha Games, PR Officer for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority who
assisted the production team to use the site said: “Wrath of the Titans
is an incredible production and we are very proud that they chose our National
Park as one of their key locations. Throughout filming the production
company showed great respect for our unique environment and the wildlife that
inhabits it. We are very keen to promote filming in the National Park not
only because we have so many varied landscapes to offer but because of the
great boost it can give to our local communities. We hope that more films
of this nature choose our National Park as a viable filming destination.”
Penny
Skuse, of the Wales Screen Commission which is part of the Welsh Government’s
Creative Sector team commented: “Millions of pounds are brought into Wales by
these sorts of films and it’s a wonderful opportunity for the world to see what
fabulous locations, crew and facilities we have here. The
Commission assisted this production by suggesting crew and facilities from
around the region and encouraged them to use as many local
resources as possible; knowing what a massive impact it can have on the local
economy.”