07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
I joined filming on Spider-Man for the day and here's what it is like
Couple this with generous tax incentives and it's easy to see why production companies are keen to snap up picturesque Scotland as an economical but charming backdrop to their blockbusters.
However, for the people of Glasgow, nothing seems to have quite captured the excitement of Hollywood compared to the recent arrival of the masked web-slinger confronting his adversaries in the city.
Since filming started last week, Glaswegians have amassed in their thousands around the set to catch a glimpse of Tom Holland - or his stunt double - swinging through the streets.
The main stage for filming so far has been Bothwell Street (or 'Franklin Street' as now indicated by the New York street signs) and centred around the grand sandstone Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society building, now draped in red, white, and blue for an American makeover.
The set of Spider-man (Image: Colin Mearns/The Herald) Enlivened crowds have gathered around the street, flanked by gridlocked traffic on either side. But the disruption brought on by the filming feels insignificant when one sees the scores of young children dressed up as their favourite superhero and buzzing with excitement at what is unfolding before them.
This transformation of Glasgow into a living, breathing film set has pulled in crowds from all across the country. I speak to a couple from Gateshead who tell me that they 'couldn't afford to miss seeing Spiderman filming happening live.'
'We left this morning and we'll be heading back tonight, but we both thought it was worth the trip up.
"Scotland seems to get a lot of coverage when it comes to big movies and with us both being massive superhero fans we thought why not just go up and be part of it for the day. When else are we going to get the chance to watch such a big film in the making?'
As well as fanatical adults, the crowds are full of parents with young children atop their shoulders. One mother talks about arriving at 7:30am yesterday and staying until 1pm when, after a long wait, her daughter caught sight of Spiderman whizzing by, crouched atop a moving vehicle.
Fans have also travelled in from the Edinburgh Festival to marvel at the stunts being pulled off by Tom Holland and the cast. An American couple travelling in Scotland this summer told me they touched down in Edinburgh last week, but, before heading north, had to come through to Glasgow when they heard about Spider-Man.
'It's really nice to see how much everyone here is enjoying seeing the film set…while we were here we had to check it out.'
The live audience gives filming a distinct atmosphere that not many other films will be able to attest to, and the crew seem very aware of us. When the director's megaphone booms, a hush descends upon the crowd. He banters with us, counting up 'one, two, three…four' before shouting 'action!'
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News also recently broke that Spider-Man would be hanging around longer than expected - with filming extended to near the end of August. The set is also buzzing with rumour of new stars jetting into Glasgow. Mark Ruffalo, playing The Hulk, has been officially named on the cast list but fans are yet to see if he makes an appearance for this stage of filming.
Whereas 'The Batman' - which filmed around The Necropolis and Glasgow Cathedral three years ago - used the city as the backdrop for a dark and gritty thriller, what's been seen so far suggests that with Spiderman we're instead being treated to a camp and exciting superhero romp.
For the rest of the month, the city itself has become a film set, and all of Glasgow has been invited to become part of one of history's biggest franchises.
