Areas of Liverpool have been standing in for 20th century London for the filming of a new drama.
Paramount+ series Sexy Beasts - a prequel to the 2000 gangster classic Sexy Beast - has been filming in the city in recent weeks. Cast and crew were spotted in Rumford Street in the city centre earlier this week, while Anfield was turned into Hackney for filming on August 1.
During filming, Anfield's Jumbo Cafe became "Copper Grill", while Bingley Road's street sign was changed to Strawberry Lane, with "E1" and "London Borough of Hackney" written on it.
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The show will tell the story of the characters of the original film, which starred Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane, Amanda Redman and Ray Winstone, and how they found themselves central to London's criminal underbelly. The show is one of many new original series to come to Paramount+, which has already released video game adaptation Halo and The Offer, which tells the story of the filming of The Godfather.
What is Sexy Beasts and who is in it?
Sexy Beasts will be released on new streaming service Paramount+ in 2023. However, a prequel to Sexy Beast, has been long mooted.
It was scrapped by US cable channel Paramount Network in 2020, but has been picked up as one of six new originals to premiere on Paramount+ - the fledgling streaming service from the giant film studio. The show will hit screens in 2023, with a new cast stepping into the shoes of the iconic British actors in the film.
The film Sexy Beast saw Ray Winstone star as Gary 'Gal' Dove, who retired to Spain with his wife DeeDee (Amanda Redman) to leave behind a life of crime in London. However, the arrival of Ben Kingsley's Don Logan threatens Gal's peaceful existence, as Logan attempts to recruit him for one last job in London - planned by Ian McShane's Teddy Bass.
The prequel series is set in 1990s London, as Dove, Logan and Bass rise up through the criminal ranks. James McArdle will star as Dove, while Emun Elliott will play Don Logan.
Sarah Greene will play DeeDee and Stephen Moyer will step into Ian McShane's shoes as Teddy Bass.
According to entertainment news outlet Variety : "The show follows Gal and Don as best friends and small-time thieves living the good life in ‘90s East London. The series will explore Gal and Don’s complicated relationship as Gal finds himself descending into the seductive madness of the London criminal world during the vibrant and volatile 1990s, while falling in love with DeeDee."
Michael Caleo, who worked on The Sopranos, has written the series. He will also act as showrunner and executive producer.
Regarding the show, he said: “I feel so fortunate to be able to explore these beautifully crafted characters a decade before we met them in the original story. This series has been a great passion of mine for many years and I cannot wait to see it come to life with this amazing cast.”
Daniel O'Hara will also executively produce and will direct multiple episodes. O'Hara has previously worked on Doctor Who and Netflix series Stay Close and The Stranger.
The writers of the original film - David Scinto and Louis Mellis - will also work as executive producers on the series.
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