‘The Franchise’ is a comedy show on HBO, which is about making a superhero movie and the daily problems that come with it. The show follows Daniel, played by Himesh Patel, who is the first assistant director. He has to deal with many issues, like the director fighting with the studio, actors facing personal troubles, and many things going wrong on the set. The show is created by Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci, and Sam Mendes. It takes us behind the scenes of a superhero movie and shows us both the professional and personal lives of the characters.
Where was ‘The Franchise’ filmed?
The filming of ‘The Franchise’ happened in two main places—London in England and Melrose in Scotland. The pilot episode, which is like the first test episode of a show, was filmed in July 2023. However, there was a delay in further shooting because of the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023. After the strike ended, the main filming started on February 26, 2024, and it ended by May 21, 2024.
The actors of the show seemed to have a good time while working. Actress Aya Cash even shared a picture with her fellow actors and said that it was a special experience working with them.
London, England
A large part of ‘The Franchise’ was filmed in London, which is the capital city of England. London is a popular place for shooting many movies and TV shows because it has some of the best movie studios in the world. Famous studios like Pinewood Studios and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden are also located in London.
The show was filmed both on a backlot setup (which means using areas built especially for shooting) and in different parts of the city where the characters’ personal lives were shown. London is a great location for filming because it has many talented actors and crews, and also has advanced technology for movie-making.
Many big superhero movies have been filmed in London, like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home,’ and more. The filming of the first season of ‘The Franchise’ in London was finished by April 2024.
Melrose, Scotland
Apart from London, ‘The Franchise’ also shows some natural locations, especially in Scotland. The scenes in Scotland were shot near a small town called Melrose, which has beautiful landscapes. One of the main places in Melrose seen in the show is the Leaderfoot Viaduct. This viaduct is a large railway bridge with many arches, standing high above the River Tweed. This bridge has been shown in other movies as well, like ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’
The peaceful and green surroundings of Melrose provide a nice contrast to the busy city scenes shown in ‘The Franchise.’ In the show, the production team sets up their equipment between the viaduct and a nearby bridge, called Drygrange Old Bridge. The scenes filmed here show the big action parts of the superhero movie, with actors dressed up in alien costumes and using CGI (special effects). The filming team even used smoke and fire to make the scenes look more dramatic and exciting.
The production team arrived in Melrose on April 29, 2024, and continued shooting there till May 11, 2024. They filmed between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily and had to close some roads during that time. Sammy Thomson, who was the supervising location manager, kept in touch with the local council and other officials to make sure the locals were not disturbed too much by the filming. The team was also encouraged to support the local shops and businesses while they were there.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) – The Franchise
Q: Where was The Franchise filmed?
A: The Franchise was filmed in two main locations: London, England, and Melrose, Scotland. The urban scenes were shot in London, while some outdoor sequences were captured in the scenic landscapes around Melrose.
Q: When was The Franchise filmed?
A: Filming for the pilot episode took place in July 2023. After a delay due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, the main filming for the first season began on February 26, 2024, and concluded by May 21, 2024.
Q; When is the release date of The Franchise?
A: The Franchise was released on October 6 2024.
Q: Who is in the cast of The Franchise?
A: The main cast includes Himesh Patel as Daniel, Aya Cash, and a talented ensemble of actors playing various roles in the show. The cast portrays the struggles of making a superhero movie, both on and off set.
Q: What is The Franchise about?
A: The Franchise is a satirical comedy about the chaotic production of a superhero movie. It follows Daniel, the first assistant director, as he tries to manage the difficulties between the director, the studio, and the actors. The show gives a humorous look behind the scenes of a big-budget superhero film.
