Liverpool has some stunning architecture, which varies greatly depending on the street or neighbourhood you visit. Thus, it is no surprise that it has been transformed at various points for filming. With the Liverpool Film Office championing the city, it is now a staple on the silver screen and streaming platforms. So, which parts have had the biggest transformations?
St Georges Hall
St George’s Hall is the building that greets many visitors as they step out of Lime Street Station. It was opened in 1954, and its Neo-Grecian style has never gone out of fashion, lending it an elegance and grandeur. This was noted by the producers of the dark and gritty superhero reboot “The Batman”, starring Robert Pattinson.
Directed by Matt Reeves, the building became Gotham City Hall, the beating heart of the fictional city. Even more of the filming was done on location in the city. Anfield Cemetery saw a daring race with Batman on a motorcycle, and the Royal Liver Building became the Police Department.
The second instalment has been a long time coming, but the script is now complete. Rumours are that it will begin filming at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios this year, and is likely to use the same locations in Liverpool.
The Cotton Exchange
The Cotton Exchange in the city centre is never one to shy away from a glow up. The current building replaced the 19th-century one that was previously in Exchange Flags. By the late sixties, it had been given a modern makeover, bringing it bang up to date, for the sixties anyway. Now, it is mainly used as office and retail space.
While many may think the current exterior is quite unremarkable, it has allowed it a ‘blank canvas’ aesthetic, which means it can be transformed quickly into almost anything. The BBC once changed the exterior into a casino for the drama ‘Such Brave Girls’. This was surprising, as Liverpool has a thriving casino scene both on and offline. Operators such as the casino online at Paddy Power let people play table games and slots while benefiting from attractive bonuses. This has increased footfall in physical casinos, with more people playing than ever. Yet with so many already existing, it is a surprise the BBC didn’t use them for filming instead of transforming The Cotton Exchange.
Sessions House
It is not just modern blockbusters filmed here either. The County Sessions House, now run by National Museums Liverpool, and the streets around it once doubled up as Cold War Moscow in the movie ‘The Hunt for Red October’. To make it more authentic, even William Brown Street was dusted with artificial snow to give a more Russian vibe. These shots were, however, lost on the cutting room floor.
At the time, the Soviet Union had just collapsed, and a new government was forming, making it extremely hard for camera crews to get permits in Russia itself. Liverpool was the next best thing.
No doubt Liverpool will host many more movie shoots. With a great-looking city and access to modern and historical buildings, it won’t be long before you see it on your screen again.