Seoul to close some roads for filming 'The Avengers'

The Seoul metropolitan city said Tuesday that it will restrict traffic in roads near the city's landmarks for half a month starting later this month for the filming of the sequel of the 2012 Hollywood blockbuster "The Avengers."

Major scenes of the superhero sequel titled "Avengers: Age of Ultron" will be shot in the South Korean capital under a memorandum of understanding signed by the Korean Film Commission and four related government authorities, and the Burbank, Calif.-based Marvel Studios.

Under the accord, traffic in the city's locations such as the Gangnam Subway Station intersection, the Mapo Grand Bridge, Cheongdam Grand Bridge, the Saebit Dungdungseom floating islets and a major road in the Digital Media City in Sangam-dong will be limited from March 30 to April 14, the city government said.

The authority also said buses that pass the filming locations will be detoured during the period.

In the movie, Seoul will be described as a city with many ultra-modern buildings and beautiful landscapes, officials said. Other international locations of the movie include Johannesburg, South Africa; Aosta Valley, Italy; and London, according to the U.S. film studio.

"We will prep to minimize citizens' inconvenience during the filming period," said Park Dae-woo, the chief of a cultural industry department of the Seoul city government, requesting for the people's cooperation.

The first installment of the series was a big hit, drawing an audience of more than 7 million when it was shown in South Korea in 2012.

Directed by Joss Whedon of "The Avengers," the new installment returns its iconic cast, which includes Robert Downey Jr. Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson.

The sequel is set for release in the United States on May 1, 2015 and in South Korea a month later. (Yonhap)