Studio shifts superhero filming to London

'Captain America: The First Avenger' will be filmed in London.

The movie - which features Chris Evans as the titular superhero - was originally to be shot in Los Angeles, but tax incentives and set problems have led Marvel Studios to change its mind on the filming location.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the studio's president Louis D'Esposito said: "I actually had location scouts here to see what could be done. But it would have required so much visual-effects work and set construction, it didn't make sense."

The comic book-adaptation - which also stars Samuel L. Jackson and Hugo Weaving - is mostly set in Europe and will require the use of London's Piccadilly Circus as part of the shoot.

'Captain America: The First Avenger', directed by Joe Johnston and adapted to a screenplay by Christopher Markus, is due to begin shooting in the British capital from July.

Recently Ryan Phillippe confessed he "would have loved" to have played Captain America in the film but has had to "move on" from the idea.

He said: "It's something I would've loved to do, especially for my six-year-old son, who would've thought it was the coolest thing in the world. The child within me really loved the idea of it too.

"There are very few things I'd get that excited about, but as an actor you have to move on."