Liverpool – The perfect cinematic backdrop (Batman, Harry Potter & more)

Most recently forming a Gotham backdrop for the Matt Reeves Batman film starring Robert Pattinson, the world-renowned city of Liverpool offers more than just Liverpool football club and The Beatles.  

Interested to find out more about how the importance of this UK city, and why it’s used as a backdrop for so many of the biggest films and television shows out there? Take a look at this short guide to Liverpool, going over some of the films that have taken place in the city, why it makes such as good replacement for the likes of New York city and London, and why it’s an exciting place to live going forward in the months and years to come. 

Which films were filmed in the UK city of Liverpool? 

Here are just a few examples of popular films and television series that were partially filmed in Liverpool: 

• The Batman – Again, the most recent blockbuster to grace the Merseyside waterfront, scenes for the Batman spanned Liverpool’s Anfield cemetery, right outside of St. George’s Hall in the city centre, and most notably even atop the iconic Liver building itself, for a shot that will no doubt look stunning when the final film releases. 

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Doubling as New York for many of the scenes in this Harry Potter universe spinoff, Liverpool’s St Georges Hall was again used for the film, as well as the Cunard Building for scenes with the characters in the city. Back in 2010, the film was also used for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, were the Queensway Tunnel was used for a broomstick chase sequence. I guess you could say that the city has something magic about it! 

• Captain America: The First Avenger – Some Avengers have assembled over the years, with Chris Evans becoming Captain America himself at least in part on Liverpool’s docks, which again doubled for New York, and Brooklyn in particular. 

Why does Liverpool make the perfect replacement for New York? 

Forming a replacement New York in a bunch of films, from Jack Ryan to Florence Foster Jenkins, to the above-mentioned Fantastic Beasts, Liverpool’s historic architecture clearly draws many parallels with America’s ‘Big Apple’. One of the reasons for filming in the great city is that it is much easier to schedule around than the likes of London and New York itself, but it also shares a lot of architectural DNA and heritage. Birkenhead’s Wirral park in fact formed the inspiration for New York’s iconic Central park! 

Why is Liverpool one of the most exciting cities in the UK going forward? 

Not only is Liverpool one of the best cities in the country (and potentially worldwide) for shooting films and television shows, but looking forward to the future, it is also one of the most exciting investment prospects, and a fantastic place to live for young professionals looking to live and make their mark within an urban environment.  

Local property firm RWinvest report that the city is one of the best places to invest currently. With the student offerings it has in the form of its multiple prestigious universities, mixed with it’s incredible nightlife, it is sure to attract young people and tourists once things have gone back to normal following the current lockdown restrictions. 

Liverpool’s regeneration plans are enough to get anyone excited, with millions of pounds going into the waterfront developments at the moment, and the city continually expanding northwards with more residential and commercial areas to accommodate for a growing population. TotallyMoney in their buy to let yield map report that the city’s central L1 postcode has the highest rental yield percentage in the entire country, reaching upwards of 10%.