Paramount+ to film Sexy Beast in Liverpool for next seven months - when and where filming will take place

An international streaming service has become the first long-term tenant of Liverpool’s specialist pop-up studios for the filming of new drama, Sexy Beast.

Paramount+ has booked out The Depot at Edge Lane for seven months to film the prequel to the 2000 film of the same name starring Ray Winstone.

Dubbed the ‘Hollywood of the North’, The Depot opened in October 2021 and features two 20,000 square feet studios complete with sound stages.

As well as using the Depot, the series has used a number of locations across the city to double as East London in the 1990s, including the gardens of St Nicholas Church and Tower Gardens, Rumford Street and Anfield.

Water Street, in the city centre, closed for filming on Monday November 7 between 10pm and 1am and LiverpoolWorld visited the set to get a glimpse of the action. The large production team were seen filming James McArdle and Sarah Greene, who star as Gal Dove and Deedee retrospectively.

Production is continuing in the city, with filming taking place today (November 9) on Earle Street. The Cross Keys pub has been transformed into ‘The Golden Eagle’ for filming and technical vehicles are parked on Bixteth Street, Earle Street and Edmund Street.

Who stars in Sexy Beast?

The eight-part drama follows the lives of small-time thieves who get mixed up in the London criminal world and the cast includes James McArdle (Mare of Easttown) and Emun Elliott (The Rig).

Sarah Greene (Normal People), Stephen Moyer (True Blood) and Tamsin Greig (Friday Night Dinner) will also be heading to the city to film. The eight-part series has been written, and will be directed, by showrunner Michael Caleo, one of the lead writers on the iconic HBO series The Sopranos.

The show will be produced by Chapter One and Paramount. The creation of the two sound stages was made possible through funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

What’s been said

Cllr Harry Doyle, assistant mayor of Liverpool and cabinet member for culture and visitor economy, said: “The Depot has been a real game-changer and represents Liverpool’s long-held ambitions to be a 24/7 film city. Having a production like Sexy Beast commit to filming in the city for such an extended period of time is testament to the vision of our Film Office team who for many years have had the ambition and drive to make these studios a reality.

“It’s a hugely exciting time for Liverpool and this fabulous asset will have a direct, positive impact on jobs, local businesses and training which will nurture talent and benefit not only the city, but the wider film industry.”

Lynn Saunders, head of Liverpool Film Office said Sexy Beast is the “first of many” productions to shoot in Liverpool, with more approaches coming in from filming companies.

Filming Liverpool

From the historic Stanley Dock to the stunning architecture of St George’s Hall, Liverpool has been the backdrop for many TV and film productions.

It is one of the most filmed cities outside of London, and hundreds of film and TV shows have been produced here over the years. The city’s historic architecture has set the scene for blockbuster movies, including The Batman and Fantastic Beasts.