Where was The Batman filmed? ALL the Filming Locations in Chicago & The UK
Posted by Ra Moon
The Batman is the newest addition to the Caped Crusader films franchise. Matt Reeves, who also directed the last two films in the Planet of the Apes movie series, has made a more noir, detective-driven version of the story.
The Batman was primarily filmed in the United Kingdom. Most of the recognizable buildings of this new version of Gotham City are located in Liverpool, although Chicago was a major influence on the aesthetics of the movie.
The Batman was primarily filmed in the United Kingdom. Most of the recognizable buildings of this new version of Gotham City are located in Liverpool, although Chicago was a major influence on the aesthetics of the movie.
Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga), embodies the lead role of reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne, the ninth Batman in a live-action movie after Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, George Clooney, and Michael Keaton among others.
Pattinson is joined by the daughter of pop star Lenny Kravitz, Zoë Kravitz, as Selina Kyle or Catwoman, who also appeared in the Fantastic Beasts film series.
Welcome to Gotham City and the most complete guide to the filming locations of The Batman that you can find.
The exterior of Major Mitchell's house, where the press conference takes place, was filmed at the Two Temple Place in London.
Built in 1895, this magnificent neo-Gothic mansion hosts public exhibitions and venues.
(You can open all the locations on Google Maps by clicking on the links below in the captions ↴)
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Google Maps
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Google Maps
There are some establishing shots filmed at the Wellington's Column and the Steble Fountain on the corner of William Brown Street and Lime Street in Liverpool.
It's amazing how thanks to CGI this neo-classic cityscape was transformed into a sort of New York Times Square.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Google Maps
The Bank of Gotham, vandalized by graffiti taggers, is St George's Hall's south facade in Liverpool.
Located at the heart of the city, opposite Lime Street Station, this 19th-century venue hosts a variety of events, exhibitions, and festivals.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Google Maps
The Batman in Chicago
The establishing shot of the elevated station is the Adams and Wabash station in Chicago’s train system, known as the “L” elevated railroad.
The Trump International Tower in the background was digitally replaced with the Gotham Empire skyscraper ending in a spire, like the Empire State Building.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Daniel Schwen - Map
According to director Matt Reeves, the production bought a car to film this scene on location before the pandemic hit.
In the end, the scene on the subway was filmed on a sound stage in London where the crew reproduced part of the Wabash station.
One of the scenes with Bruce riding his motorcycle through the city was filmed at the Marshall Suloway Bridge in Downtown Chicago.
If you look closely, you'll see that the buildings’ positions were inverted as in a mirror.
The Gotham City Police Department tower (GCPD) was CGI'd into the scene.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Google Maps
But The Batman's Gotham City is an amalgam of locations. In the next establishing shot, the city's skyline is a CGI image that recalls Manhattan.
The bridge pictured seems inspired by Williamsburg Bridge in New York.
The Wayne Tower, or at least, the top of it, seems inspired by the iconic Tribune Tower (lower picture). In the film it was positioned, thanks to some digital magic, near Chicago's Grant Park.
Transformed into luxury residences, this 36-floor skyscraper is a magnificent neo-Gothic wonder completed in 1925.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Trevor Huxham - Map
The Batcave entrance is the historic Kingsway tramway subway in central London.
The interior of the Batcave (pictured), the Wayne Tower, Selina's apartment, and the Good Times grocery store were sets built at the Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden near London.
During the Batcave scene, Nirvana's "Something in the Way" plays. Matt Reeves was partially inspired by Kurt Cobain to depict Bruce Wayne's dark rock-star vibe.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros - Map
The Iceberg Lounge, the nightclub operated by the Penguin (played by an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), was filmed at the Printworks London club in Canada Water.
This former printing plant was also featured in a sequence inside a boat in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron, before it was transformed into a huge 5,000-capacity venue in 2017.
The entrance to the club and the street of the bar with the curved crystal were built on a set at the Warner Bros. Studios backlot.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros - Map
The Bat-Signal building under construction where The Vengeance meets Catwoman and GCPD officer James Gordon (played by Jeffrey Wright) was filmed on a studio set using the same technology developed for The Mandalorian series, called StageCraft.
Instead of the classic green screen, 3D images of the cityscape are projected on the LED ultra-high-resolution wall screens behind the actors in real-time.
In one of the scenes taking place here, a skyscraper with a clock and a neon light sign that reads "Tribune" appears in the background. It seems inspired by the Tribune Tower in Oakland, California.
The exterior of Gotham City Hall was also filmed at St George's Hall in Liverpool.
As you can compare with the Google Maps image below, the building and surroundings were extensively CGI'd, adding a huge dome to the complex.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Google Maps
However, the Gothic, cathedral-like interior of the City Hall was reportedly built on a set at the Cardington Airship Hangar 1 in Bedfordshire.
The main cast is completed by Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, Love and Mercy) as Edward Nashton or Riddler, and John Turturro (who recently starred in the acclaimed Apple TV series Severance) as Carmine Falcone.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros
Gotham's police station with the clock tower on top is the iconic Royal Liver Building in Liverpool's Pier Head.
Completed in 1911, this 322 feet (98 m) housing 15 floors, the complex is one of Europe's first skyscrapers.
The stunning car chase with the Penguin's Maserati was filmed at an abandoned airport runway at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, southwest of London.
The shoot involved between 50 to 60 vehicles. Some other parts were filmed at Coryton oil refinery in Essex.
The new Batmobile seems to be a customized 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, a powerful muscle car that Bruce built himself with a jet intake in the front that feeds into the rear engine.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros - Map
The Gotham Orphanage was filmed at Hartwood Hospital, a former psychiatric hospital located near the village of Shotts in Scotland.
Opened in 1895 as the Lanark District Asylum, the hospital was closed in 1998. Today, it has fallen into ruin, gutted by two major fires.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros and Paradasos on Flickr - Map
The Gotham Square Garden exterior is the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago.
However, the interior scenes were filmed between The O2 arena in North Greenwich, London, and the exterior water tank located at the studios.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros - Maps: Thompson Center / The O2
The cemetery was filmed at Glasgow Necropolis, a monumental Victorian-era burial ground in the Scottish city.
The location scouts liked the archway found at the top of the Anfield Cemetery in Liverpool which was inserted briefly in the scene where the two bikers in black part ways.
In the next shot, with the motorbike passing under the stone bridge, we are back in Glasgow.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros - Maps: Glasgow Necropolis / Anfield Cemetery
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NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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5 comments:
1- Anonymous - Dec 15, 2022, 2:25 PM
Wonderfully informative and well written. Adding to my enjoyment of the movie and locations. May I suggest you substitute “trains” for “subway” when referring to Chicago’s “L” around the Loop? Thank you.
Reply
2- Ra Moon - Dec 15, 2022, 5:47 PM
Thank you, updated!
3- Anonymous - Dec 26, 2023, 9:48 PM
Very informative, I appreciate the effort and I'm excited to share this info with my friends!
4- Anonymous - Jan 18, 2024, 9:45 AM
Very much enjoyed this comprehensive rundown - I will have to go back and rewatch to spot all of the Liverpool locations!
One minor note: Chicago's train system (I suppose you could call it a "subway, although it's mostly aboveground - really it's metro) is referred to as the "L" or "El" not in reference to the Loop, but rather as shorthand for "elevated train."
5- The BCEU - Mar 25, 2024, 7:22 PM
Nice job! I think you only forgot Dunsfold Aerodrome (for the freeway chase in the film) and Millennium Mills in East London (for the Penguin interrogation scene). Also, Printworks London was the Iceberg Lounge!
Anything else you missed, like Arkham Asylum and the hospital where Alfred was, were probably built sets for the interior.
1- Anonymous - Dec 15, 2022, 2:25 PM
Wonderfully informative and well written. Adding to my enjoyment of the movie and locations. May I suggest you substitute “trains” for “subway” when referring to Chicago’s “L” around the Loop? Thank you.
Reply
2- Ra Moon - Dec 15, 2022, 5:47 PM
Thank you, updated!
3- Anonymous - Dec 26, 2023, 9:48 PM
Very informative, I appreciate the effort and I'm excited to share this info with my friends!
4- Anonymous - Jan 18, 2024, 9:45 AM
Very much enjoyed this comprehensive rundown - I will have to go back and rewatch to spot all of the Liverpool locations!
One minor note: Chicago's train system (I suppose you could call it a "subway, although it's mostly aboveground - really it's metro) is referred to as the "L" or "El" not in reference to the Loop, but rather as shorthand for "elevated train."
5- The BCEU - Mar 25, 2024, 7:22 PM
Nice job! I think you only forgot Dunsfold Aerodrome (for the freeway chase in the film) and Millennium Mills in East London (for the Penguin interrogation scene). Also, Printworks London was the Iceberg Lounge!
Anything else you missed, like Arkham Asylum and the hospital where Alfred was, were probably built sets for the interior.
Ra Moon
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