The iconic Liverpool waterfront and historic landmarks have not only captivated tourists but also served as the backdrop for some of the high-grossing and hugely popular movies and TV shows.
In this article, we’ll explore the magic of Liverpool as a cinematic setting, delving into the top five high-grossing productions that were filmed right here in the city. From epic blockbusters to binge-worthy series, discover how Liverpool’s distinctive charm and diverse landscapes have played a pivotal role in shaping the on-screen narratives of these entertainment masterpieces.
1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Prequel to the original Harry Potter film series, the family-friendly fantasy adventure Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is set in 1926 New York – 70 years before Harry’s time at Hogwarts. The film follows writer, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), and his adventures within New York’s secret society of witches and wizards. Scamander is on a global mission to find and rescue magical creatures, as he arrives in the Big Apple for a quick pit-stop. He could’ve gone undetected by the non-magical inhabitants, if it weren’t for him misplacing his magical case full of fantastic beasts and running into Jacob (Dan Fogler) in the process, who is of course – a muggle (non-magical person)…
As for the filming locations, the location managers chose Liverpool as the buildings look more like 1920s New York. Examples include: the iconic St. George’s Hall (doubling up as New York City Hall), Martins Bank Building (acting as the Banking Hall) and Cunard Building (starring as Macy’s Department Store).Â
Starting with Martins Bank Building, situated on Water Street in the centre of Liverpool, this bank was originally designed by Herbert Rowse in 1927 (opened in 1932) to be a headquarters for Martins Bank. It was described by many as a masterpiece and one of the best interwar classical buildings in the country… It is also where Newt Scamander chases his sneaky Niffler (a magical creature drawn to anything shiny – exactly why he loved pocketing all the coins from the bank!) through the bank at the beginning of the movie. This is where the chance encounter between Newt and ‘no-maj’ (non-magical person), Jacob, happens – which ends in their briefcases getting mixed up!
Moving on to Cunard Building, located at the Pier Head, it forms the Liverpool’s ‘Three Graces’ (which together define a beautiful skyline) along with the neighbouring Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. This Liverpool ‘Grace’ also graces our screens by acting as Macy’s Department Store when Newt, Jacob, Tina (Katherine Waterston) and Queenie (Alison Sudol) chase a Demiguise (a peaceful magical creature with the ability to make itself invisible and tell the future) causing chaos!
Last but certainly not least, located on St. George’s Place just outside of Lime Street train station, Liverpool’s beloved St. George’s Hall has been described as one of the most iconic venues in which to host an event in the North West. Hence, it’s used for Senator Shaw’s (Josh Cowdery) speech during the ‘Political Benefit’ scene in the movie. Also used for the grand finale of the film when the thunderbird, Frank, obliviates (a memory wiping charm) everyone as he swoops over the city.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them made a whopping $814 million worldwide at the box office, which was a brilliant reception from the world and a massive gain given the $175 million budget.
2. The Batman (2022)
Not an official part of the DC Extended Universe, The Batman is a stand-alone reboot film that follows a younger version of Batman (played by Robert Pattinson), as he is led into the depths of the suspicious home to organised crime – Gotham City Underworld. His journey there begins with investigating a trail of cryptic clues left behind by a sadistic killer. As Batman starts putting the pieces together, he realises the evidence leads closer to home than he’d thought, and the killer’s plans soon become clear… To save Gotham City, he must create new and unlikely alliances, reveal the culprit’s identity and put a stop to the corruption that has long affected the city.
The Batman’s filmmakers were looking for locations with gloomy and gothic aesthetics to tie in with the history of Batman’s fictional home-town. Hence, they looked no further than: Liverpool’s famous Liver Building clock tower (acting as Gotham City Police Department), the much-loved St. George’s Hall (as Gotham City Hall) and Anfield Cemetery (doubling up as Gotham City’s Cemetery).
Starting with one of Liverpool’s most famous pieces of architecture, located at the Pier Head, the Liver Buildings opened in 1911 and acted as the headquarters to the Royal Liver Group (formed to help local families become financially secure after personal loss). However, editors of The Batman turned it into Gotham City Police Department by altering Liverpool’s waterfront into the Gotham cityscape. The very top of the building offered the perfect perch for Batman to leap from during the final flight sequence in the movie.
Once again, historic St. George’s Hall makes an appearance in a big blockbuster! Starring as Gotham City Hall, St. George’s Hall is used for Mayor Don Mitchell Jr.’s (Rupert Penry-Jones) funeral scene, where we see Batman, James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) come together to stop the Riddler’s (Paul Dano) attempt to commandeer the funeral with another one of his evil schemes.
Finally, situated on Priory Road, Anfield Cemetery was first established in 1863 and is the resting place of several of Liverpool’s legends including football hero, Joe Fagan. For The Batman, it doubles up as Gotham City’s Cemetery towards the end of the movie, where we see Batman motorcycle to the location to meet Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). From the cemetery, they ride into the sunset together, and assumedly into the second film – which has been confirmed for release on the 3rd of October 2025.
The Batman made an incredible worldwide total of $772.2 million at the box office, a huge profit considering the film had a $185-200 million budget – giving it the title of the seventh highest-grossing movie of 2022.
3. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
The first movie in Marvel’s Captain America series and the fifth instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: The First Avenger is set in New York in 1941, amidst World War II. Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) is desperate to join the army in order to do his part for America in the war. His chances don’t look so good at the beginning of the movie, as he is rejected by the military for having a small stature, alongside a variety of health problems. However, his chances are saved by scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine’s (Stanley Tucci) experimental program which transforms Steve into a super-soldier named Captain America. Together with appointed sidekick, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and agent of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Captain America leads the fight against the Nazi-supported organisation, HYDRA.
Liverpool starring as an old-fashioned version of New York seems to be a recurring theme! Many say this is due to its historic architecture. Therefore, it was the perfect choice to act as 1940s New York for Captain America: The First Avenger. On the list of Liverpool locations that Captain America ventures through is: Stanley Docks and the Titanic Hotel.Â
Located on Regent Road in the Vauxhall area of Liverpool, Stanley Docks are part of the port of Liverpool on the River Mersey. Designed by civil engineer and Superintendent of the Concerns of the Dock Estate in Liverpool, Jesse Hartley, Stanley Docks is connected to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal (which runs to the east) and the Collingwood Dock (which runs to the west). It is here we see Steve converted into the super soldier, Captain America, using vita-rays – a form of radiation used to activate the ‘super soldier serum’ which turns a feeble individual into an absolute powerhouse. This epic location is also used for the first fight scene in the film, where Steve chases down a HYDRA agent through the Docks.
Also located on Stanley Docks, the Titanic Hotel is minutes away from the city centre and was once a busy port warehouse but has now been transformed into a hotel which keeps the original Victorian architecture alive. It is also home to the scene in which Steve is desperately interrogating a HYDRA agent before said agent urgently attempts to escape in a submarine.
Captain America: The First Avenger made an amazing international total of $370.6 million at the box office, despite a relatively low budget (compared to other superhero movies) of $140 million.
4. Yesterday (2019)
Yesterday, everyone knew who the Beatles were. Today, only Jack (Himesh Patel) remembers their songs… Set in an English seaside town, Yesterday follows struggling singer-songwriter, Jack Malik, alongside his very supportive childhood best friend and now manager, Ellie (Lily James). Jack’s lifelong dreams to make it big in the music world are quickly fading away as he’s knocked down at every hurdle. Despite this, Ellie stays fiercely optimistic. As Jack is cycling home one day, he’s unfortunately hit by a bus during a mysterious global blackout. When he later wakes up in hospital, it becomes apparent with each day that passes, that no one remembers who the Beatles are anymore… After he recovers, he decides to share their songs with the world again, as if they are originally his, becoming a worldwide sensation overnight.
Many of Liverpool’s famous destinations were used for the filming of Yesterday, including –Penny Lane, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Lime Street Station, Queensway Tunnel and Strawberry Fields. Of course, Liverpool was the perfect choice to film Yesterday, as it’s where the Beatles are famously known for being from and where they gained inspiration for several of their songs.
Beatles fans from all over the world flock to explore the iconic street that is Penny Lane, located in Mossley Hill. Filled with independent businesses, including the exact barber’s shop mentioned in the Beatles’ hit song, Penny Lane. Hence, this was the perfect place to film the scene in which Jack and his friend Rocky (Joel Fry) visit Liverpool to try and remember more lyrics to specific Beatles’ songs.Â
Preceding this scene, Liverpool John Lennon Airport is used to act as ‘Liverpool International Airport’ (the filmmakers were presumably not allowed to use the same name). The first airport to be named after a person, it used to be called Speke Airport until 2001, when it was changed to its current name in tribute to John Lennon, who was born and raised in Liverpool. This is where we see Jack and Rocky arrive in Liverpool and soon start fleeing from the screaming mob of fans running towards them.
Towards the end of the movie, we see Lime Street station used. This is also a pertinent location for the Beatles’ history, as it is said that the band’s manager (Brian Epstein) made several trips between Liverpool and London from Lime Street station, in the hopes of finding a record deal for them. It is here that Jack and Ellie have a serious conversation about their feelings for each other, before Jack must leave to catch his flight for his world tour.
Moving on to Queensway Tunnel, this underpass is a road tunnel underneath the River Mersey between Liverpool and Birkenhead. In fact, at 3.24 kilometres, it is the longest road tunnel in the UK. As a way of incorporating the song, Hello Goodbye, into the film, director Danny Boyle (whose favourite Beatles song is Hello Goodbye), wanted to include a short scene of Jack and Ellie dancing together in the Queensway Tunnel – whilst the words, ‘Hello Goodbye’, are displayed on the tunnel wall in big yellow text.
Lastly, Strawberry Fields is a very apt location to use for the film, as the iconic fields are kept alive by the Beatles’ famous song, Strawberry Fields Forever. Located on Beaconsfield Road, Strawberry Fields opened in 1936 as a Salvation Army children’s home for girls, that later accepted boys too. Since then, for nearly 70 years, it has given Liverpool’s most vulnerable children a safe home away from harm. John Lennon himself based Strawberry Fields Forever on his own memories of playing in the Strawberry Fields garden as a child. During Jack and Rocky’s visit to Liverpool in order to remember more lyrics, they take a trip to Strawberry Fields – offering the audience a chance to look behind the iconic red gates.
Yesterday made an excellent worldwide total of $154.6 million at the box office, against a production budget of $26 million.
5. Peaky Blinders – Season One (2013)
Opening season of crime drama, Peaky Blinders, is set in post-war Birmingham in the year 1919. Based on a real-life gang named the Peaky Blinders (led by Thomas Gilbert in the late 19th century until the start of World War I), the show follows gang leader, Thomas Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy). Shelby soon discovers his gang is being kept a close eye on by Chief Inspector of Belfast, Chester Campbell (Sam Neill), who has been sent from Ireland to clean up the crime-ridden city.
In terms of locations used for filming, Liverpool’s renowned Admiral Grove and Powis Street, widely associated with the brilliant rock band born and raised in Liverpool, the Beatles, starred in this historical crime fiction drama.
The iconic Admiral Grove is the well-known childhood home of The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, where he lived for 20 years before rising to fame with his three bandmates. Situated in the inner-city area of Toxteth, Admiral Grove was mentioned in Starr’s song, Liverpool 8, which focuses on his life and time with the Beatles. As for its appearance in Peaky Blinders, Admiral Grove doubles up as the Shelby family’s home turf in the Birmingham district of Small Heath – which also acts as headquarters for the Peaky Blinders gang.
The equally famed Powis Street is also mentioned in Liverpool 8, which is named after the ‘Welsh Streets’ – a block of eight terraced Victorian streets in inner-city Liverpool. Most of these streets were built and inhabited by Welsh immigrants in the 1880s. Powis Street was also home to the Shelby family’s stomping ground on Watery Lane in Small Heath, as well as the betting shop shown in the programme.
In the first year of its release, reports estimate that the first season of Peaky Blinders made $62 million, against a cost of approximately $2.2 million per episode.
As you can tell, Liverpool offers many fantastic locations for blockbuster filming! A city rich in culture, iconicity and historical architecture – Liverpool is the star of the show.
