Visit Scotland | Alba
Article published 11/04/2024

From Batman to Outlander to The Avengers

Some of the world’s biggest film and TV franchises have chosen to come to our shores in recent years, from Batman to Outlander to The Avengers. 

This not only boosts the local economy in the short-term when production takes place but can provide an ongoing presence in popular culture – and streaming services – that can continue to reach new audiences and lead to visits long after a film’s release.  

According to travel experts Expedia, more than half of travellers say that TV shows and movies inspire their travel plans. It also showed nearly 30% say they are more influential than ever before – with TV shows providing a bigger draw for destinations than Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Looking forward, we’ve got some exciting new TV series, that are being filmed in Scotland to look forward too. Here's a quick summary of what's coming soon.

Historic buildings in a small town on a sunny day

Falkland in Fife. A location used in Outlander. Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Coming soon...

  • Fear

    Prime video is currently filming in Scotland for a new three-part psychological thriller series called Fear. Martin Compston leads the cast, alongside Anjli Mohindra. The cast includes James Cosmo, Maureen Beattie and Daniel Portman.

    The entire series will be shot in Glasgow.   

  • The Undertow

    Netflix has recently a new series called The Undertow. Jamie Dornan is set to lead, playing identical twins Adam and Lee, alongside Mackenzie Davis, who plays Nicola, Adam’s wife. Glaswegian actor Iain De Caestecker has been cast in another lead role as Marty, police constable and best friend of Lee (Jamie Dornan).  

    The Undertow will shoot at locations in the Scottish Highlands and Islands including Sutherland and the Isle of Mull, chosen for their breathtaking beauty.

  • Department Q 

    Department Q is another Netflix series heading to Scotland. Matthew Goode is starring opposite leading Scottish acting talent Chloe Pirrie, Kelly Macdonald, Jamie Sives, Leah Byrne, Mark Bonnar, Shirley Henderson and Kate Dickie. The thriller, created by award winning showrunner Scott Frank, is entirely shot in the beautiful iconic city of Edinburgh.  

  • Rebus

    The BBC has announced a new adaptation of Sir Ian Rankin's best-selling Inspector Rebus novels.

    It will star Outlander star Richard Rankin in the lead role - Detective Sergeant John Rebus - and is adapted by Black Watch author Gregory Burke.

    The six-part crime series was filmed in Edinburgh and Glasgow last year.

     

Fear will be available on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland in 2025. The Undertow and Department Q will shoot in Scotland this year, launching on Netflix in 2025. 

Scotland is no stranger to the screens. It’s scenery, cityscapes and distinct culture have long captured the imagination of film and TV producers. It’s fantastic to see this continue with the announcement of these new productions. We look forward to seeing what role Scotland will play in these new series.

Film and television productions not only boost the local economy in the short-term but are a shop window for the country’s amazing landscapes, heritage and culture.

Around one in five visitors from our top international markets visit a film or TV location while on holiday in Scotland, and so with the global reach of Netflix there is a huge opportunity for the industry to promote screen tourism and encourage viewers to explore what more Scotland has to offer.

Jenni Steele, VisitScotland’s Film and Creative Industries Manager

The importance of screen tourism

Scotland looks stunning on screen, even in bad weather! It’s full of drama and intrigue which film makers love. Seeing Scotland on the big screen really is an advert budgets couldn’t buy.  

We know our landscapes and history inspire people to visit Scotland, so when they see the likes of Outlander, The Crown or Harry Potter on a cinema or TV screen along with great actors and a powerful soundtrack, it really has an impact on a viewer, who we then hope will be inspired to become a visitor. 

With the huge increase in production in Scotland recently, combined with the number of digital platforms and global film and TV fans within our reach,  we’ve seen interest in screen tourism grow rapidly.

A study by Screen Scotland estimated the value of screen tourism to Scotland at £65 million in 2019.   

Read our insight on film, TV and literature tourism in Scotland

Film, TV and literature tourism insights

Find useful insights and tips on how to capitalise on film, TV and literature tourism in Scotland.

Read More

How can businesses get involved? 

Whether a business has had a production film at their property, or they are close to a location featured in a film or TV series, there are lots of ways to make the most of screen tourism.  That can range from setting up tours to locations, offering themed activities or running bespoke events linked to a popular film or tv show. 

  • there’s lots of research and background on VisitScotland.org about screen tourism and what fans are looking for. Check it out.
  • and, plenty examples on visitscotland.com of movie and TV show trails, itineraries and other content to inspire our visitors. Take a look.

Each production will create a different set of opportunities, so there’s no set rule on what you can do –  it’s all about thinking creatively.

Just one thing to note: remember that all films and TV shows have strict licensing rules around use of imagery and intellectual property, so check before carrying out any promotional activity.

Set in Scotland guide

Our Set in Scotland  guide features more than 150 films which have been shot entirely or partially in Scotland,  and details more than 100 film locations.

The guide labels each film by genre, features QR codes with links to film-themed content on visitscotland.com, and contains a new section, Monarchs of the Glens, which focuses on those films linked to Scotland’s kings and queens, from Shakespeare’s Macbeth to the Oscar-winning The Queen. 

Download the guide. 

 

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