The latest major film to take advantage of Liverpool’s unique architecture and skyline hits cinemas across the country today (6 May).
‘Florence Foster Jenkins’, which stars Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, features key scenes filmed on Water Street, Back Castle Street and Rumford Street.
The city doubled as New York for the five-day shoot which took place across Merseyside and involved around 250 cast, crew and extras.
The new comedy drama joins a growing list of projects filmed in the city including Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Rocky spin-off Creed, ITV’s Houdini and Doyle and Sky One’s The Five.
Tracey Seaward, producer of Florence Foster Jenkins, says: “One of the biggest challenges we faced making Florence Foster Jenkins in the UK was always going to be how to find 1940s New York.
“The elegance and grandeur of Liverpool (with a little assistance from VFX) made it easy. Liverpool provided us with New York exteriors and made it possible for us to shoot the movie in the UK. Thank you Liverpool!”
Lynn Saunders, manager of Liverpool’s Film Office, adds: “It’s always great news when we get it confirmed that a major film is coming to the city, but there was definitely an extra buzz around this city as news got out that Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant were the star names!
“Liverpool is certainly no stranger to hosting big films and big stars and it’s not only a wonderful boost for the local economy, but it also engenders a sense of pride in the people who live here that there is a real desire for these blockbusters to be filmed in the city.
“The trailer has already whetted the appetite and even though we’ve been transformed in to New York, I think Liverpool will be easy to spot so I look forward to heading to the cinema to see the finished product.”
Filming in Liverpool last year was up 20% on 2014, with 230 productions being shot in the city – contributing over £11.5 million to the local economy.
