Avengers Cost NYC $160 Billion in Damages

[Grak Alka]

This just reminds me of why I suck at playing superhero roleplaying games: I always end up taking the (fictional) damage and repair costs in mind and then refrain from damaging or using the scenery. The one time I overturned a car in a game session (we were ambushed by ninjas in a parking lot), I felt really bad about it and wondered how I'd make it up to the car's owner.

Kudos to KAC for preparing the estimate and including references to Godzilla and Gozer. It would be awesome if the next Avengers movie took this estimate (and its predicted consequences) into account. Cameos by the ones who prepared the estimate would be the cherry on top.

 

[Taunta]

This is just from the Manhattan scene right? So this doesn't even include that giant base collapsing from the beginning of the film, or that one building Hulk destroyed after he fell, or all the damages to the flying aircraft carrier that they're gonna have to fix...

I was actually thinking about this while watching the movie, especially when the giant snake thing demolishes grand central station, and all I could think was "Oooh, that's gonna be expensive."

Although considering the universe this movie exists in, I think US insurance companies should already cover aliens, what with all the destruction in the Marvel movies that came prior to this.

 

[Denamic]

We just need to avoid war with inter-dimensional aliens until 2014, then?

 

[Vegan_Doodler]

I don't really like to read legalese, but this was actually awesome. I'm guna enjoy watching it (again) a lot more now that I know that the damage alone could cripple lesser economies.

 

[maninahat]

Am I the only one who thinks that sounds really really low?

During 9/11, how many buildings were actually destroyed? About a dozen destroyed and another dozen badly damaged or so, correct?

The Alien Invasion seems like it had completely demolished and trashed way more buildings than 25, not to mention cleanup of the giant flying worms that have armor that can just shrug off most attacks...

Yeah, but two of those buildings were at one point, the tallest buildings in the world, crammed to the rafters with banking related infrastructure, on some of the most valuable land in the world. That pushes up the value. I think the other thing to remember is just how much a billion dollars is worth. The world's most expensive house "only" costs 60 million dollars to build, yet possibly as much as 2 billion dollars to complete (in terms of staffing, contracts, architects, construction, utilities, zoning permits etc.)

On another note, I think it is a pretty cool advertisement for a business to accurately evaluate movie damage. If they can estimate how much it costs to repair acts of godzilla, they can be trusted to accurately estimate the damage done to my mold infected bungalow.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

With the news snippets near the end of the movie they actually raised the question of who would pay for the damage, and that they should actually try suing the heroes.

 

[knhirt]

He's just as much an antagonist in the mythology as he is in the comics, and the comics incorporated most of the business from the mythology as well. The death of balder, birth of fenris, to name a few.

He's Thor's nemesis because he's constantly tricking, killin' and thieving.

I think the mythology is actually pretty clear when it comes to nemeses. As I interpret it, Thor's nemesis would be Loki and Angrboða'a son, Miðgarðsormr ? the World Serpent. Thor first encounters the Miðgarðsormr when it is disguised as a cat: one of a series of deceitful challenges issued to Thor by the jötunn Útgarða-Loki's.
The next time they met, Thor tried to destroy the serpent, but was thwarted by the jötunn Hymir.
During Ragnarök, Thor finally slays the serpent, but its poison finishes him off as he walks away.

Loki, however, fights Heimdallr during Ragnarök and they slay each other. I'd say as far as the concept of 'nemesis' goes, those two match up better.

 

[Saltarius]

I love guys like this. Reminds me of when they calculated how much the Death Star would cost to make.

 

[Dreadjaws]

Worst of all, most insurance policies do not cover alien invasion.

"Most"? You mean there are insurance polices that cover it? I need a name, I might need one... uh, it's for... a report...

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

Thor could bring in some Asgardian jewels to pay it off, or Stark.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Reminds me of Ghostbusters 2. Somehow people have convinced themselves being saved from complete destruction was not worth the property damage and sue the heroes blind. It just wouldn't have felt quite as complete without that jerk at the end demanding the Avengers and SHIELD pay up.

Thor: Aye, 'tis true sir honourable human judge. This man verily dost possess no dick.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Well when one has to choose between "160 billion in damages" and "subjugation of the human race by aliens commanded by Loki," I think I would choose the latter.

 

[WolfThomas]

why is Loki Thors nemesis? Liko was jsut a trickster int he mythology wasnt he?

in fact I think loki came up with the Idea to get thor to dress in drag to trick a bunch of goblins who stole thors hammer......mythology, not the comics

Because they're aliens in the film who inspired the mythology and are therefore not necessarily bound by it. There's a far longer comic book answer involving a cycle of many repeating Ragnaroks but who has the time?

 

[kingpocky]

I've always figured that comic book universes make up for their frequent city destruction by having a much higher GDP due to super-companies like Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises. There's got to be an economic application for all that supertech.

 

[ima420r]

Really the title should read "Avengers Would Have Cost NYC $160 billion dollars in Damages".

I was expecting to read about how making the movie somehow damaged the city, then I realized the title a lie. One of the problems with journalism these days.

 

[zombie711]

damage control has this covered.