Glasgow is now Gotham City. Production on The Batman Part II has transformed the city streets into a gritty winter wonderland as filming gets underway for the Hollywood blockbuster starring Robert Pattinson as the Dark Night, Colin Farrell as The Penguin and Scarlett Johansson as Gilda Gold.
 
Eager to spot the famous caped crusader in action as Bothwell Street is currently recreated into the fictional gothic city for The Batman sequel, I took my superhero-daft six-year-old along for a look at how this much anticipated DC Comics movie has taken control of this part of the city.
 
The snow-covered set where the famous Batmobile has been involved in high speed action shots during late-night shoots over the last few days immediately sets the scene for an authentic winter’s day in gloomy downtown Gotham. 
 
My son Leo couldn’t contain his excitement as he spotted a Christmas tree and played with the snow which a friendly security guard informed us is specially made with salt so it stays on the ground.
 
Offering the perfect selfie opportunity, a New York City-style yellow cab marked with Gotham City, Gotham Police patrol cars and huge SWAT truck line the streets ready for shooting later that evening. 
 
US-inspired set dressing we spotted included a hot dog stand, fire hydrants, garbage bags, a restaurant sign for ‘The Gotham Fork’, a department store called ‘Lacy’s’, and various American street signs displaying locations such as ‘Downtown Gotham Docks’ were erected all around transporting visitors into the heart of the gothic city. 
 
Two nights ago comic book fans were treated to similar excitement to last year’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day shoot, when a dramatic car chase scene was filmed.
 
Thrilling clips of filming action for The Batman already shared online have shown police cars chasing down the Batmobile and crashing into the vehicle at high speed and even armed cops shooting at Batman’s iconic motor.
 
With the high-octane filming taking place past midnight, there’s little chance pint-sized caped crusader fans will catch the latest live action.
 
But the three-week location shoot is also coming to Wellington Street, Pitt Street, Glasgow Bridge, the Broomielaw and streets beneath the Kingston Bridge, so there is still a chance I can win some brownie points with my little one.
 
It is hoped the sheer scale of the shoot means Glasgow could provide considerably more screen time in the sequel than it did in the first film.
 
Glasgow previously became Gotham for The Batman when crews arrived in February 2020.
 
The area around Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis was used for scenes involving Batman travelling through Gotham on a motorcycle.
 
The city’s Gothic and Victorian architecture has helped make Glasgow a regular stand-in for fictional and international locations in major productions.
 
More recently, large areas of the city centre were transformed into New York for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while previous productions filmed in Glasgow have included Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and World War Z.
 
The Batman Part II began principal photography earlier this summer. Pattinson is joined in the sequel by returning cast members including Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth. Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan are among the new additions to the cast.
 
The first film was released in 2022 and took more than $770 million at the worldwide box office.
 
The Batman Part II is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 18 February 2028.
 
What Glasgow streets are being affected by filming for The Batman: Part II?
 
Prohibition of waiting, loading and unloading
 
7 August - 29 September: Newton Street car park between Broomielaw and A814 Stobcross Road
Prohibition of pedestrian movements
0:6:00 19 August - 05:00 20 August: Bothwell Street between West Campbell Street and Hope Street and Wellington Street between Waterloo Street and St Vincent Street.
19:30 on 20 August - 05:00 on 21 August: Bothwell Street between West Campbell Street and Hope Street and Wellington Street between Waterloo Street and St Vincent Street
19:30 on 21 August - 05:00 on 22 August: Pitt Street between Waterloo Street and St Vincent Street and Bothwell Street between Pitt Street and Douglas Street.
19:30 - 05:00 each day between 22 August - 28 August: Bothwell Street between West Campbell Street and Hope Street and Wellington Street between Waterloo Street and St Vincent Street
06:00 28 August - 06:00 29 August: Glasgow Bridge for its full length, west side only, NC75 between Glasgow Bridge and York Street, and Broomielaw, south side, between George V Bridge and Glasgow Bridge.
 
Prohibition of vehicle movements
 
01:00 19 August - 06:00 29 August: Wellington Street between Waterloo Street and St Vincent Street, Bothwell Street between Hope Street and West Campbell Street, Bothwell Lane between West Campbell Street and Wellington Street, Waterloo Lane for its full length and St Vincent Lane from West Campbell Street to Hope Street.
06:00 30 August - 06:00 31 August and then between 19:00 until 06:00 each day from 1 September - 5 September: North Street between Broomielaw and A814 Expressway.
06:00 29 August - 06:00 9 September: Newton Street between A814 Expressway and Broomielaw.
From now until 06:00 31 August and from 19:00 until 06:00 every day from 1 September to 4 September: North Street between Broomielaw and A814 Expressway and Newton Street between Broomielaw and A814 Expressway.