Directed by Matt Reeves, ‘The Batman’ is a superhero thriller movie based on the eponymous character from DC Comics. It follows Bruce Wayne AKA the masked vigilante Batman in his second year as Gotham’s protector, where he suddenly finds himself pitted against a sadistic serial killer named Riddler. As Batman races against time to stop and identify the Riddler, he finds himself drawn into the city’s corrupt system, which is connected with his own dark past.
Thus, the billionaire caped crusader must face his demons to defeat the Riddler and serve justice before it’s too late. The grim backdrop of Gotham city creates the perfect canvas for the movie’s layered narrative and characters, thus complementing its pace. Fans worldwide are highly curious to find out about the exciting places where ‘The Batman’ was filmed. Without further delay, here are the answers to everyone’s queries. Let’s begin!
The Batman Filming Locations
‘The Batman’ was filmed in various parts of England and Scotland, specifically in Liverpool, London, Watford, Bedford, Glasgow, and Shotts. Some portions were also filmed in Illinois, particularly in Chicago. Principal photography for the movie commenced on January 27, 2020, but was abruptly halted on March 14, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After battling several challenges like the government permits for shooting and the lead actor Robert Pattinson testing positive for COVID-19, filming resumed on September 17, 2020. All safety protocols were strictly followed, and production finally wrapped up on March 13, 2021. Now, let’s get a closer look at the filming sites.
Liverpool, England
‘The Batman’ was filmed in several locations in Liverpool, a vast maritime city in England. Some of the shooting sites include the Royal Liver Building at Pier Head, Anfield Cemetery at 238 Priory Road, and St. George’s Hall, where the Gotham City Hall was recreated. The Gotham General Hospital and the Gotham Central Court House scenes were taped at the Walker Art Gallery and the County Sessions House, respectively. Moreover, the Halloween market scene was lensed near the Wellington Memorial Statue AKA Wellington’s Column.
Fear not Merseyside, RPattz is watching over the city! #Batman #BatmanFilming #Liverpool #RobertPattinson pic.twitter.com/y6oBNYnjeR
— Georgia (@GeorgiaRich_Bar) October 15, 2020
Liverpool was a major port city in the past and is famous for its culture, sports, arts, and architecture. The numerous parks and open spaces in the city, like Merseyside’s Victorian Parks, hold historic relevance. The movies ‘Munich: The Edge of War‘ and ‘Tolkien,’ as well as the TV series ‘Peaky Blinders‘ and ‘The Crown,’ were filmed in Liverpool.
London, England
Important portions of ‘The Batman’ were taped in London, the capital city of England. The cast and crew filmed a few scenes at Two Temple Place, doubling up as Mayor Mitchell’s abode, and the Kingsway Tram Tunnel in Southampton Row, which served as the mouth of the Batcave. In addition, the Iceberg Lounge scenes were taped at Printworks Nightclub on Surrey Quays Road.
London stands on the River Thames and is an international hub of arts, commerce, fashion, entertainment, finance, ethnic diversity, and tourism. The global city houses many iconic landmarks like Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Kew Gardens, and Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Over the decades, London has hosted the productions of numerous shows and movies, such as ‘Belfast,’ ‘Eternals,’ ‘Spencer,’ and ‘No Time to Die.’
Watford, England
Some scenes of ‘The Batman’ were further filmed in Watford, a charming town in the county of Hertfordshire in the southeastern part of England. The shooting took place at the Warner Brothers Studios Leavesden, situated on Warner Drive in Leavesden, Watford. The 200-acre studio complex is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is one of the biggest movie studios in the country. It was previously a British airfield named the Leavesden Aerodrome. Many movies like ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle,’ the ‘Harry Potter‘ series, and ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘ were also filmed in these studios.
Bedford, England
Crucial segments of the movie were filmed in Bedford, a gorgeous town in the county of Bedfordshire. The production team taped scenes at the Cardington Studios, located at Hangar 2 in the Cardington Airfield. The site is a former Royal Air Force Station that housed renowned airships. ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage,’ ‘Inception,’ and ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ are some of the movies that were filmed in the Cardington Studios.
Glasgow, Scotland
Apart from the above locations, ‘The Batman’ was also filmed in Glasgow, a port city on the River Clyde. Few sequences were recorded at the Glasgow Necropolis, a Victorian cemetery that lies on a hill east of St. Mungo’s Cathedral. Around 50,000 people have been buried at this site. Glasgow is reputed for its culture, music, and architecture and has been the host of several sports events. Moreover, it has the largest economy in the country. The city has doubled up as a filming site for several movies, such as ‘1917,’ ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,’ and ‘The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star‘
Hartwood, Scotland
The Gotham orphanage in the movie was recreated in the Hartwood Hospital, a former psychiatric hospital that closed down in the late 90s. It is located in the village of Hartwood near Shotts, a town in the North Lanarkshire area. For the purpose of filming, the production team put up the signboards at the former medical facility that read: as Gotham Renewal Corporation — Investing in our future — Gotham Orphanage. Due to its dilapidated and gritty condition, it served as a perfect filming site for the fictional Orphanage of the City of Gotham.
Chicago, Illinois
The exterior scenes and establishing shots of Gotham in ‘The Batman’ were actually taped in Chicago, a bustling city that sits on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is known for its remarkable skyline and architecture that mixes outdoor public art pieces, monuments, and giant skyscrapers. Chicago is historically significant and a major hub of transport, culture, finance, literature, and performing arts.
Chicago has officially become Gotham City once again! Filming starts soon! #TheBatman #gothamcity 🦇 pic.twitter.com/NLqeGkuQAs
— J'onn Larod (@the_juandy_city) October 16, 2020
A few of the important landmarks in the city are Millennium Park, Willis Tower, Magnificent Mile, and Hyde Park. Numerous TV shows like ‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Gotham,’ and ‘Station Eleven‘ were filmed in Chicago.
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