THE LOOP — A stretch of South Wacker Drive looked more like Shanghai than Chicago Saturday as crews filmed for the upcoming "Transformers" movie in the Loop.
Crowds of people snapping pictures with cameras and cell phones saw Chinese street signs and store fronts decorating sections of Adams, Madison and Monroe streets as well as the 100 block of South Wacker Drive Saturday for the filming of "Transformers: Age of Extinction."
The crowds waited for hours to catch a glimpse of some of the stunts and explosions that will make it into the fourth installment of the franchise featuring the Autobots and Decepticons.
Production crews handed out stickers and rub-on tattoos of the Transformers logo to onlookers as they waited for the action.
Standing behind a steel guard rail, Matt Baier said he was not a huge fan of the movies but still wanted to see the "show."
"They said they're blowing cars up," he said with a smile. "I'll watch that."
The movie, starring Mark Wahlberg and Kelsey Grammer, is set to finish filming in Chicago at the end of the weekend, production crews said. The Hollywood blockbuster has been filming scenes in Chicago throughout the summer and into the fall.
City officials said the movie is expected to pump $27 million into the local economy.
