Glasgow makes record £42m in a year from movies filmed on city’s streets

Films including The Flash, the fifth Indiana Jones movie and Batgirl, were shot in the city.

Cochrane Street in Glasgow was taken over for the filming of the Indiana Jones 5 movie last year (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Archive)

Glasgow earned a record £42.2 million from the film industry after cast and crew from multiple Hollywood blockbuster movies descended on its streets in 2021.

The figure is the highest sum generated for the city’s economy from the film and broadcast sector to date, according to the Glasgow City Council’s (GCC) film commission, the Glasgow Film Office (GFO).

Some of the big-name productions shot in the city last year included: The Flash; the fifth Indiana Jones film; Batgirl the first major film production to be entirely based in the city; Tetris; Annika; Shetland; The Control Room; and Screw, the latter being filmed in the Kelvin Hall and currently showing on Channel 4.

The £42 million, however, does not include income from the ongoing production of Batgirl, which will instead be included in the 2022 total.

Actor Leslie Grace on set in Glasgow filming the new Batgirl movie (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, chairman of GCC’s Neighbourhoods Housing and Public Realm Committee, said: “The remarkable figures for the film and broadcast industry in Glasgow during 2021 signify a major step forward in the sector’s activity in the city, and underline its economic importance.

“Glasgow Film Office have played a key role in this along with our Events and Filming team, and our one-stop shop approach is proving a great draw for producers and location managers.

“The Kelvin Hall Film & Studio Hub was the missing link in our offering and the basing of the entire production of a major film in the city for the first time points to a successful and sustainable future for this sector in Glasgow.

“Now we need to work with partners to ensure that young people from Glasgow can study and work in the creative industries and forge successful careers right here in the city.”

A parade scene on St Vincent Street during filming for the Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Archive)

Since its creation in 1997, GFO has promoted Glasgow as a “film-friendly” city.

It provides services for productions filming or wishing to film in Glasgow, and coordinates meetings with agencies, location owners and other council departments, notably the Events and Filming team.

So far, its work has earnt the city about £400 million, according to GCC.

Other recent productions shot in Glasgow include: World War Z; Under the Skin; Outlaw King; The Wife; Hobbs & Shaw; Outlander; Succession; Still Game; and Vigil.

A new TV studio is being developed at the city’s Kelvin Hall thanks to almost £7.9 million of funding from the Scottish Government and £4 million from GCC.

The Kelvin Hall Film & Studio Hub, to be completed in the autumn this year, will become a centre for TV broadcasters and production companies.

GCC said the new space will provide studios and post-production services to companies including the BBC, ITV, STV, Sky, Channel 4 and Netflix.