Sartaj Singh
‘Iron Reign’ or ‘Mano de hierro’ is a Spanish-language series that revolves around the Manchado crime family and their threatened rule over the drug shipments crossing the port of Barcelona. Joaquín Manchado maintains his supremacy over the Barcelona seaport’s main terminal by hook or by crook. Every year, hundreds of tons of cocaine are smuggled through the port. However, through the actions of a mole in their ranks, a large shipment of the drug goes missing. The incident threatens the fragile peace between the city’s three largest gangs.
The Manchado family members are forced to set aside their differences and present a united front against the adversaries, all the while searching for the mole compromising their operations. Under creator Lluís Quílez, the crime series takes us through the underbelly of Barcelona’s criminal world as we follow the gritty characters through dark warehouses, nightclubs, and grimy city streets. With the Netflix show presenting a grounded and striking narrative of a drug shipping syndicate in Barcelona, we find ourselves wondering whether the series is filmed within the real-life Spanish capital.
Iron Reign Filming Locations
The Netflix series ‘Iron Reign’ is indeed filmed using the authentic backdrops of Barcelona, in addition to those of Gerona and Lleida within Catalonia, framing its scenes. Principal photography for the project began on November 24, 2022, and is carried out on location across various sites in the region of Catalonia. The show’s cast and crew express pride and thankfulness for the project despite the hard work demanded by it, with actor Oscar Dorta especially appreciating the stellar work of the stunt teams. Allow us to take you through the Spanish filming locales seen in the background of the series.
Barcelona, Spain
The bustling cosmopolitan city of Barcelona is the primary filming location for ‘Iron Reign,’ adding authenticity to the series, with each episode sporting scenes that are captured on location around its urban locales. In particular, the port of Barcelona features prominently in the series, with pivotal sequences centered around it. Since the Manchado crime family controls the imports and exports from its major terminal, we can spot the port and its facilities in various establishing shots throughout the series. Much of these scenes depict Zona Franca, the industrial south port, identifiable through its large container handling gantry cranes, an orderly jungle of containers, and a series of bulk liquid storage tanks.
The port also features a tourist zone called Maremagnum, just north of the Zona Franca. This area has a commercial mall with luxury stores, a multiplex, and nightclubs. The Maremagnum can also be spotted at various points throughout the series, with its vibrant streets and neon lights juxtaposing the gritty central concrete setting of the Zona Franca.
Barcelona is a melting pot of civilizations and cultures, with Iberian, Roman, Visigoth, and Islamic influences apparent in the city. It is also known for having a rich history of cinema, with foreign filmmakers seeking out its unique blend of modernity, history, and coastal geography. Barcelona has been home to the films ‘Uncharted,’ ‘Enemy,’ ‘Marlowe,’ and ‘The Bourne Identity.’
Gerona, Spain
Located along the River Onyar, Gerona became one of the filming destinations for the crime series. The small city in northeastern Catalonia is known for its historical architecture dating back to the classical era, with the gems of the Roman Força Vella fortress and the medieval remains in its Old Quarter encrusting its antiquated crown. The city’s vibrant buildings flank a calm Onyar River flowing between them, offering an idyllic and nostalgic atmosphere as a filming location. The historic site of the town’s Girona Cathedral depicts the Great Sept of Baelor in ‘Game of Thrones.’
Lleida, Spain
The production team makes use of the city of Lleida in ‘Iron Reign’ for its scenic urban landscape sprawling over the rolling hills west of Barcelona. Surrounded by the Pyrren mountain range to the north and the Iberian system to the southwest while being bisected by the Segre River, the ancient city provides a stunning canvas for the scenes of ‘Iron Reign’ lensed here. As a filming destination, Lleida is somewhat of a hidden gem, with productions like ‘The Paramedic,’ ‘Alcarràs,’ ‘Valley of the Dead,’ and ‘The End’ filmed here.
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