A council has refused permission for a Nicolas Cage film to be shot in a historic town square due to the planned use of Nazi swastikas, per bbc.com.
Production crews for the upcoming thriller Spider-Man Noir had requested to film in the central square of a Buckinghamshire town, intending to transform the area into 1930s New York. The set design required the display of several large swastika flags on local buildings to reflect the historical period of the plot.
However, local councillors voted against the proposal, citing concerns over the “distressing” nature of the symbols. While acknowledging the film’s historical context, the council argued that the sight of Nazi iconography in a public space would be inappropriate and potentially offensive to residents and visitors.
A spokesperson for the council stated: “While we welcome the economic benefits and prestige that major film productions bring to our region, we must balance this against the well-being of our community. The prominence of such symbols was deemed unsuitable for a public thoroughfare.”
The production team, which features Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage as a weathered private investigator in a monochrome version of the Marvel universe, is now searching for an alternative location. Sources close to the project suggested that the scene is integral to the narrative’s depiction of the rise of fascism during the Great Depression era.
The decision has sparked debate among locals, with some praising the council’s sensitivity and others lamenting the loss of a high-profile filming opportunity for the town’s economy.
