Glasgow transformed into Gotham again as filming for The Batman: Part II begins

Filming Returns Glasgow to Gotham

Filming for The Batman: Part II is now underway in Glasgow, with production transforming parts of the city centre into a winter version of Gotham City. According to the Daily Record, the set is centred on Bothwell Street, where American street signs, US flags and SWAT cars have appeared alongside temporary alterations to local landmarks. The Times of India reported that filming began around 18 August and is expected to continue for several weeks across various locations in the Scottish city.

The Daily Record noted that crews have added a glazing of snow to the junction between Bothwell and Wellington Street, placing the Batmobile near Christmas wreaths and a tree visible in building windows. The Bavaria Brauhaus on the corner of Wellington Street has been temporarily converted into the Office of the City Clerk of the City of Gotham, with the adjacent bus stop fitted with fake timetables for the fictional city. Road closures are expected in the Newton Street and North Street area as filming moves to additional sites this month, the Daily Record reported.

Glasgow has previously stood in for Gotham in Christopher Nolan’s 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, the 2022 film The Batman and The Flash in 2023, as stated by the Daily Record.

Chase Sequences and Batmobile Footage

Fans have shared clips on social media showing an armoured Batmobile speeding through Glasgow streets while pursued by Gotham City police vehicles. The Times of India described one sequence in which police fire at the Batmobile at point-blank range as the car swerves to escape, and another in which a police unit fires as the vehicle zooms down a street and takes a sharp bend. The Daily Record reported footage of a group of men firing weapons at the Batmobile as it attempts to escape, along with a SWAT car smashing into a vehicle while appearing to chase Batman.

Director Matt Reeves earlier offered an official glimpse of the Batmobile in a social media post captioned “#SnowTires,” according to The Times of India. The sets have been covered in ice and snow for a story reportedly set in winter.

Cast and Returning Characters

Robert Pattinson is set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The Daily Record and The Times of India both list returning cast members including Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, also known as the Penguin; Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner James Gordon; Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth; and Barry Keoghan, who is expected to return as the Joker. New additions include Sebastian Stan as Two-Face and Scarlett Johansson as Poison Ivy, reported across both outlets. The Daily Record additionally named Charles Dance among the cast.

The sequel will follow events from the 2022 film and is expected to build on the world established by the HBO series spin-off The Penguin, according to The Times of India.

Local Touches on Set

A lighter note has emerged from the production. The Daily Record reported that security guards are searching the set each night for Irn Bru cans after locals attempted to place the Scottish soft drink in bins and hot-dog stands in hopes of featuring it in the background. A social media user who visited the snow-covered set with police cars posted that one of the security staff had described the nightly searches. Another user replied that they had found a sticker of comedian Daft Limmy on an exterior building. Online comments joked that traffic cones might be next, with one suggesting the cans were a decoy to allow cones to be placed on statues.

Release Timing and Production Context

The 2022 film The Batman took more than 772 million US dollars (£570 million) at the global box office, the Daily Record reported. Directed by Matt Reeves, the sequel has faced schedule changes. The Daily Record stated it is due for cinema release on 18 February 2028. The Times of India reported a theatrical date of 1 October 2027, after an earlier shift from 2 October 2026.

James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has addressed the multi-year gap between the first film and its sequel. In comments carried by The Times of India, Gunn noted that gaps of five years or more are fairly common, citing intervals such as seven years between Alien and Aliens, 14 years between the Incredibles films, seven years between the first two Terminators, 13 years between Avatars, 36 years between the Top Gun films, and six years between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Vol. 3. He previously explained that once a finished script exists, big films typically require around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production.

Production activity in Glasgow continues as the city once again provides the backdrop for Gotham’s streets and winter sequences.