Star Wars and Marvel superheroes to be attractions at new Shanghai Disneyland

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An artist's impression of the new US$5.5 billion Shanghai Disneyland theme park in China, which is due to open in 2016. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:30pm, 15 Jul 2015Updated: 6:41pm, 11 Dec 2015

The Star Wars and Marvel Universe film series will feature in attractions at six-themed lands at the new US$5.5 billion Shanghai Disneyland theme park.

Walt Disney, which is developing theme park with China’s state-owned Shanghai Shendi Group, said the park had been designed to appeal to Chinese visitors.

Construction continues at the Disneyland site in Shanghai. Photo: Walt Disney

Robert Downey Jnr plays the Marvel superhero Iron Man in the Disney films, which will feature among the attractions at the new Shanghai Disneyland. Photo: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

A scene from the film Avengers: Age of Ultron, featuring Marvel superheroes, including Iron Man and Hulk, which will be among the attractions at the new Shanghai Disneyland. Photo: TNS

Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the company behind the Star Wars franchise for US$4.05 billion in 2012, and plans to release the seventh film in the series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens – with the original stars, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill all reprising their roles – in December.

The company also owns Marvel Studios, which includes the hit Iron Man, The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy superhero films, and also this week’s new release, Ant-Man.

This year Disney delayed the opening of Shanghai Disneyland from its scheduled start at the end of 2015 until the first half of 2016 as it expanded its plans for the park.