Since its 1985 arrival in the downtown skyline, and given its unique shape, many Atlantans tell visitors who are seeking directions to look for the “pregnant building.” But for movie fans around the world, the late architect John Portman’s 52-story, 1,663-room atrium hotel is also known for its starring role in such movies as the Hunger Games series and the 2024 miniseries A Man in Full, plus a bevy of Marvel offerings, from Spider-Man: Homecoming to Ms. Marvel to Loki. The hotel’s suites were also featured in Denzel Washington’s 2012 set-in-Atlanta thriller, Flight.
So how does a nearly 40-year-old hotel score so many close-ups in Hollywood films and TV projects? According to Marquis director of sales and marketing Paul Buff, it’s a combination of Portman’s iconic futuristic architecture and a seasoned senior sales executive who keeps a close eye on upcoming productions in Georgia.
“Our architecture lends itself to a unique view for the camera lens,” says Buff. “Because of Mr. Portman’s vision and design, our hotel has been portrayed in both current times as well as into the future.”
As one of the host hotels for Dragon Con, the annual Labor Day weekend science fiction, fantasy, and comic fan festival, it doesn’t hurt the hotel’s street cred that the Marquis doubles as both the Tribute Center in The Hunger Games and as the Time Variance Authority in Loki.
Movie fan or not, anyone who has ever stepped inside the hotel’s lobby can attest to its visual majesty. Says Buff: “On any given day, our hotel guests can be found looking up into our 52-story atrium while pulling out their phones to take photos.”
This article appears in our November 2024 issue.
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