Olivia Dunn Journalism

The second most filmed city in the UK.

You get off the train at platform 4. It’s busy, with everyone rushing to make it through the barriers as fast as they can. You look to your left and a group of girls with tinnies in their hands and rollers in their hair giggle as they embark on the night ahead. To your right is a businessman hurrying to catch a train, briefcase in hand and a business call playing through his AirPods.

You pay no notice and continue through the station, passing the coffee stands and ignoring the taxi rank. As you walk through the iconic doors at Lime Street, you’re suddenly hit with a sense of confusion. Your brain is convinced you’re in Gotham, as if the train you just stepped off has transported you through a portal and dropped you onto the set of your favourite film.

It takes a few moments before you realise it’s just St George’s Hall once transformed into Gotham for The Batman movie along with many other productions that have turned the iconic city of Liverpool into somewhere else entirely. 

But why is Liverpool deemed to be such a good movie set? What makes it the second most filmed UK city after London? 

Port of Liverpool Building

Starting with the architecture in Liverpool. The city is a blend of many different styles this is due to having keepsakes from the different ears it has gone through. The City contains Georgian streets, Victorian buildings and has modern developments. Not to mention the iconic waterfront Liverpool offers up. Combined this creates the perfect backdrop. Which means it can double as many different places, universes and time zones expressed through the big screen. Liverpool has been a double for New York City in many films, one being Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This didn’t just alter the physical location but the time zone of the city as the film was set in the early 1920s. The production crews added yellow taxis, American police cars and vintage street signs to create this alternative universe. Merseyside has also been altered to mimic Chicago in the first decades of the 20th century. This was the 2022 production of The Batman starring Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz. The City’s waterfront has been adjusted to construct London between the years of 2013 and 2022 for the TV show Peaky Blinders. 

The Filming of The Batman – P.C Josh Curcher.

Northern Edition spoke to Keith Marley, a film lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, to get more of an understanding on why Liverpool has such a pull on the film industry.

Keith delved into Liverpool’s culture saying: “I think of film as being part of a broader creative industry that includes things such as music, theater, art and dj culture.” Referring to the Beatles but also many other musicians including himself who have built up a strong creative scene here in Merseyside.

Along with his job of teaching Keith is a part time DJ explaining: “ I have been involved in the club scene in Liverpool for lots of years. I think that there’s something about Liverpool that has got a strong cultural identity. It’s got a strong sense of place and I think that then translates into the vibrant creative and cultural scenes.”

Liverpool has always been known as being one of the friendliest cities in the UK and having a welcoming atmosphere, this translates into the culture and creative scene as the locals welcome talent with a passion not found elsewhere.

Keith adds to this by saying: “there the old saying- you will always find a scouser and I think that there is something special about that linking to the culture and creativity in the city.”

We asked Keith if being in Liverpool inspires his teaching and students he said: “I’m interested in people expressing themselves, I think film is an art and I’m a documentary maker, so I make films generally myself about real life as such. So what I encourage students to do is go out and use this city as a beautiful backdrop to their films.”

The city as a whole has a great creative scene but Keith explores the idea that Liverpool could have more of an impact in the film industry, by saying: “Things haven’t quite developed here in the way I thought they would. In particular I’m thinking about the littlewoods complex. It hasn’t quite come into fruition yet and there has been a lot of debate.”

Keith is talking about the production complex that is set to be built on Edge Lane and it was going to be called the Hollywood of the North. Liverpool Council are trying to get more funding from the Government in order to make this vision go further.

Keith explains: “There is a difference between Liverpool being the second most filmed city in the UK after London and then so that’s it as a location. But if you compare it as a production location you find a lot of the shooting that goes on is bringing production talent from outside the city.” 

However, following on from this actors from the merseyside area like Owen Cooper and Steven Graham have given a spotlight onto Liverpool. This was furthered with their award winning show adolescents. Giving the Merseyside area a light having both the actors at the Golden Globes this year.

Liverpool’s future in film looks brighter than ever, with rumours already circulating about a new Beatles movie having started filming in the city. With its distinctive architecture, unmistakable style and bold personality, Liverpool has an endless amount to offer the film industry. Backed by an already impressive catalogue of productions filmed here. Liverpool has become a key part of the story itself, and its role in the film industry shows no signs of slowing down. 

By Olivia Dunn