A UK town is buzzing with excitement as a superhero prepares to take over the streets in a brand new filming all set in a place described as the ‘best place to live’. The Greater Manchester borough has been tuned into the dark streets of Batman’s Gotham as production crews get to work ahead of a big film shoot in Stockport as filming begins for a new superhero movie.
Last year, Stockport was named ‘best place to live’ in north-west England – and now, a plush red carpet has been spotted outside the town’s theatre as filming began yesterday (September 9). Lead actors have been making their way to Stockport as DC (Detective Comics) gears up production on their big new superhero film. Excited residents noticed signs, large film props and other movie paraphernalia going up around the town this week along with filming action outside the Stockport Plaza on Mersey Square.
The prominent Grade II-listed building, which dates back to 1932, has been chosen as one of the backdrops for a big scene in DC’s upcoming Clayface movie in the ‘best’ market town of Stockport.
The market town has also been used as a film set for Peaky Blinders, House of Guinness and several of the Harlan Coben Netflix thrillers as it gains popularity for big movie settings as well as being a great place to live.
White Lines star and Suspicion actor Tom Rhys Harries is set to play the lead role of Matt Hagen in the new Clayface, who will follow the prominent comic book villain, a recurring enemy of Batman. In the comics, Matt is able to shapeshift and transform his body into clay.
The new film is produced by Guardians of the Galaxy writer and director James Gunn and the movie will be directed by James Watkins – and this new Clayface is also set to star Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella and Ray Donovan actor Eddie Marsan.
Filming for the movie has already taken place in a number of locations across the North West – and last week, a number of scenes were filmed across Liverpool, after production, the film is set to be released next year.
Production crews transformed the exterior of Liverpool Crown Court last week along with the surrounding Derby Square in the city centre, fake graffiti was sprayed onto walls and the set was littered with rubbish.
Liverpool’s The World Museum was also used for filming, where it was seen transformed into Gotham City Courthouse.
For the scenes at Stockport Plaza, posters and signs have been displayed on set promoting a fictional movie called The Light Between, suggesting it will possibly serve as a red carpet premiere in the production.
A prop poster of the fake movie suggests it will star characters Niki Claire and Freddy Tansino in the leading roles – and according to Hollywood publication Deadline, this version of Clayface could be set to see Harries’ version of Matt as a semi-successful actor who goes on to portray the character he once played in a horror movie.
Rumours have been circulating about the production, suggesting it will be a horror-thriller film, following in the vein of director Watkins’ previous effort Speak No Evil.
Following the release of DC’s successful Superman adaptation earlier this year, Clayface is set to form part of the DC Universe’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters series of films.
The series is also set to include the upcoming Supergirl, Man of Tomorrow and Swamp Thing movies.