VIDEO: Streets transformed as Batgirl filming to begin in Glasgow

Filming is set to get underway in Glasgow city centre for the new Batgirl film.

Crews have spent the last few days transforming streets around Trongate as the latest blockbuster to come to the city rolls into action.

Batgirl art director Nigel Evans and production designer Christopher Glass were seen walking around the area on Tuesday, with shooting expected on St Vincent Street on Wednesday evening.

Road closures will also be in place in the Merchant City area over several days in January for filming.

It’s not the first time Glasgow has doubled for Gotham, the fictional city home to Batman, having already hosted filming for The Flash and also The Batman.

The production will be entirely shot in the city, with Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken saying that it would help the city’s economy following the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “A production of this scale will spend in the reign of £1m a day in our city centre in restaurants, hospitality and hotels and shops.

“It’s also really important for the many people who work in the film industry in Scotland.

“And a film like this, you’re looking at a minimum of 250 people a day but up to as many as 1000 people a day that they’re employing on these films so that’s a pipeline of work for a lot of people.

“The timing of it really couldn’t be better for supporting the city’s economic recovery.”

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Residents nearby are reported to have been offered black-out material for windows and earplugs by production company American Night to reduce the disruption from late-night filming.

Aitken said: “I think we can expect this to be a presence in our city for the coming weeks going into the coming months.

“I think Glaswegians love seeing the city on the big screen.”

Batgirl is the latest blockbuster to film in Glasgow, with Indiana Jones coming to town last year.

The city also hosted shooting of parts of World War Z, a 2013 zombie movie starring Brad Pitt.

1917, Wild Rose, Under the Skin, Cloud Atlas, Outlaw King and Outlander have also used parts of Glasgow for filming.

Who’s in the film?

In The Heights star Leslie Grace will play the title role in the film, which will focus on Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham police commissioner Jim.

The 27-year-old, who had a breakout role as Nina Rosario in the big screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical, tweeted when she was cast: “I am BEYOND EXCITED to embody Barbara Gordon, your #Batgirl !

“I cannot believeeee what I’m writing rn… THANK YOU DC for welcoming to the family! I’m ready to give her all I’ve got!”

She celebrated her birthday in the city last week, posting a video of the snow on Instagram.

The film will also star Mummy actor Brendan Fraser as villain Firefly, and JK Simmons who plays Commissioner Gordon.

The movie, expected to debut on the HBO Max streaming service in 2022, will be directed by Bad Boys For Life filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.