Did you know Glasgow City Innovation District is the location for many blockbuster films and TV shows?
Glasgow has become a huge draw for production companies looking for filming locations due to Scotland's world-class crews, studio facilities, and varied sites and architecture. Glasgow’s grid system has also meant it can stand in for New York, leading to several high-profile films being shot in the city centre. Over the past few years, Glasgow has increased its revenue for filming with a 2023 report stating Glasgow's screen industry generated £366.1million in 2021 and almost 4,500 jobs. Glasgow's film industry will continue to grow, putting us on the map for film tourism and increasing inward investment. We’ve picked a few of our favourite films and TV shows here.
In 2011 Glasgow was used as a stand in for Philadelphia in the box office 2013 hit World War Z. At the time it was the largest production the city had ever seen, as George Square was used for a huge sequence as a zombie apocalypse breaks out. It’s one of the most famous films set in the city and you can clearly see the unmistakable streets and architecture of Glasgow as Brad Pitt tries to save his family among the chaos.
[Image: Robert Perry]
[Image: The Herald]
The Batman director Matt Reeves said that he chose Glasgow as a filming location for the ‘beautiful Gothic architecture’ and stated, ‘I wish we could've filmed there more’. Innovation District locations Glasgow Cathedral, the Royal Infirmary and the Necropolis can all be spotted in the 2022 Robert Pattison film. There’s even a chance that Glasgow could appear in a potential sequel.
Outlander is the only television series on our list but it may be one of the biggest drivers of tourism to Scotland within film and television. The first Outlander novel was published in 1991 and has since become one of the world’s most popular fiction series. Since the TV series first aired in 2014, Outlander has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon. In 2022 Visit Scotland published a report showcasing the huge effects this TV series had on tourism to Scotland with thousands of visitors stating that Outlander was their reason to visit. While Outlander is filmed all over Scotland, many shots were filmed in the District including Glasgow Cathedral, John Street and the City Chambers.
The fifth instalment of the Indiana Jones franchise created a frenzy in Glasgow as the city was turned into 1960s New York. The scenes filmed in Glasgow see Indy caught up in a chase during a parade celebrating the moon landing. The huge set piece was filmed across Glasgow including District locations, Cochrane Street, John Street and Trongate. Viewers can spot Glasgow’s iconic streets and architecture as star Harrison Ford, gallops away from his pursuers on horseback.
The 2019 spinoff in the Fast & Furious franchise, once again saw George Square transformed to masquerade as another location – this time London. The square featured in a motorbike chase with star Idris Elba and Jason Statham’s character Deckard Shaw crushing one of the bad guys right outside the City Chambers. The scenes only end up being a few minutes long in the final cut of the film, but viewers can clearly see Idris Elba outside The Piper Bar and cars whizzing by outside Greggs on the corner of the square.
[Image: The Sunday Post]