It doesn't matter if you are a film nerd or only watch the occasional flick it’s always exciting when you spot a scene that has been filmed down the road in a familiar location - one you may have even been to many times.
"That's the Albert Dock! Not 1950's New York!," you might blurt out. “Look! It’s St Georges Hall!” - you may shout at the TV.
Dubbed as the ‘Hollywood of the North’, Liverpool is one of the most filmed cities outside of London and the city’s historic architecture has set the scene for blockbusters such as The Batman, Captain America, Fast & Furious and Harry Potter.
In 2021, multi-million pound film studios The Depot opened with two purpose-built, 20,000 sq ft sound-proofed film and TV production units.
Natalie Portman and John Krasinski are the latest Hollywood stars to have been spotted filming in the city, shooting scenes earlier this year for director Guy Ritchie’s new heist/epic quest movie Fountain of Youth.
So which movies should you watch as you do a bit of Liverpool scene spotting? Well, we have ranked 19 films featuring locations in and around city by their IMDb rating.
Dubbed as the ‘Hollywood of the North’, Liverpool is one of the most filmed cities outside of London and the city’s historic architecture has set the scene for blockbusters such as The Batman, Captain America, Fast & Furious and Harry Potter.
5. Creed (2015)
Goodison Park was a filming location for Creed - a spin-off from the Rocky series of films - in 2015. Filming took place during half-time of a Premier League match between Everton and West Bromwich Albion. The stadium later hosted the climactic fight between the hero Donnie and villain Ricky Conlan - played by Liverpool boxer Tony Bellew. US actor Sylvester Stallone had been to the stadium before, to promote his Rocky Balboa film in 2007. ⭐ 7.6/10 rating on IMDb. | Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
6. Hunt for Red October (1990)
Set during the Cold War, Liverpool doubled up as Moscow in the 1990 starring Sean Connery as a defecting Soviet submarine captain. Grade II listed County Sessions House was used during scenes with the Red Fleet Political Directorate and nearby William Brown Street (pictured) was covered in fake snow for outdoor scenes. ⭐ 7.5/10 rating on IMDb. | sas - stock.adobe.com
7. Official Secrets (2019)
Official Secrets is the true story of a British whistleblower who leaked information to the press about a spy operation designed to push the UN into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It stars Keira Knightley and Matt Smith. Filming took place at St George's Hall and County Sessions House in April 2018. The beach scenes for Ralph Fiennes’ character is at Thurstaston beach and features the cottage known locally as Sally's Cottage. ⭐ 7.3/10 rating on IMDb. | Lia Toby/Getty Images for BFI
8. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
The Cunard Building’s old ticket hall was transformed into the interior of ‘Macy’s’ department store for the Fantastic Beasts film, while the opening scene was filmed in Martins Bank (pictured) on Water Street. Numerous scenes were also filmed in and around St George’s Hall. ⭐ 7.2/10 rating on IMDb. | Red Deer X Kinrise