Sartaj Singh
‘The Franchise’ revolves around the production of a superhero movie and the tumultuous day-to-day struggles of the team. The satirical HBO comedy follows Daniel Kumar (Himesh Patel), the first assistant director, as he attempts to manage the egotistical director’s clashes with the studio, star actors’ downward spirals, and mishaps on set. Created by Jon Brown, the show transports us behind the scenes of the generic superhero production shooting in backlots while also peering into the personal lives of the characters as they attempt to gain some semblance of peace away from the set.
The Franchise Filming Locations
Filming for ‘The Franchise’ is carried out in London, England, and Melrose, Scotland. Shooting for the pilot episode was completed in July 2023, and further production was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Principal photography for the debut season began on February 26, 2024, and was wrapped up by May 21, 2024. Unlike the characters they portray, the cast members seemed to have a great time together behind the scenes. “So many wonderful people in this photo and not in this photo,” wrote actress Aya Cash in the caption of a picture she posted on Instagram with her costars. “All jobs are good because, well they pay your bills, but this one was especially good because of the unicorns I met.”
London, England
‘The Franchise’ is primarily taped in London, England, and is centered on a movie studio. The capital city is known for being a hub of filming with some of the most advanced, state-of-the-art production facilities in the world, including Pinewood Studios and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. Besides the backlot setup, the team also captures sequences of the characters in their daily lives with the cityscape of London as a backdrop.
The presence of major talent and resources in London makes it an ideal filming location for a series like ‘The Franchise,’ ensuring access to top-tier actors, crew members, and cutting-edge technology. It also ties into the satirical aspect of the show, as a large number of superhero films are actually shot in London. Notable examples include ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home,’ and ‘Thor: The Dark World.’ The team completed filming in London for the first season in early April 2024 and moved on to other locations.
Melrose, Scotland
Among the natural backdrops seen in ‘The Franchise,’ the scenic beauty of Scotland stands out, more specifically, the stunning landscapes around the small town of Melrose. An identifiable feature of the parish seen in the show is the Leaderfoot Viaduct, with its towering arches stretching across the River Tweed. Also known as the Drygrange Viaduct, the railway viaduct stands 126 feet up from the river valley floor, and its marvelous structure can also be seen in the background of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,’ during its Switzerland segment. Melrose’s serene, rural landscapes offer a visually refreshing break from the studio and urban setting of ‘The Franchise.’
The viaduct and its adjoining Drygrange Old Bridge can be seen as the production team in the show set up their equipment between them. The sequences lensed there capture the big CGI action scenes for the movie, with the actors in alien makeup and motion capture suits. The scenes also have the team set up smoke and fires to raise the stakes and create an immersive atmosphere. With the meta-commentary presented by ‘The Franchise,’ their sprawling set by the Leaderfoot Viaduct made it difficult to distinguish the characters and prop equipment from the real-life crew members and production rigs.
Melrose became an important filming location for the debut season of ‘The Franchise’ as the team set up shop in town on April 29, 2024, and continued shooting until May 11, 2024. Filming around the town was carried out between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., implementing some road closures. Sammy Thomson, the supervising location manager, kept in touch with the Scottish Borders Council and Film Edinburgh to reduce inconveniences to locals while encouraging the cast and crew to support local businesses.
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