Have you seen the playful world of Looney Tunes has started taking to the streets of Manchester over the last week?
Well, your eyes weren’t deceiving you.
11 of the most-beloved characters from the Looney Tunes series – including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, Tasmanian Devil and more – have all been spray-painted at various locations across the city centre as part of an exploratory street art trail that’s aiming to welcome people back to the city post lockdown.
There’s also a family-friendly walking tour taking place, too, so you can see all the colourful characters popping up around the city.
In partnership with Warner Bros UK, CityCo and Manchester BID enlisted the talents of street artist Captain Kris to create artwork of the iconic Looney Tunes characters across 12 of the city centre’s most popular hubs.
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With the art trail hoping to appeal to both families and nostalgia-hunting adults alike, the mischievous artwork sees Daffy Duck waiting for a tram at Exchange Square, Speedy Gonzalez sprinting through Spinningfields, Bugs Bunny bursting out of Primark, Porky Pig popping a pipe at Pen and Pencil, Wile E. Coyote chasing Road Runner around Symphony Park, and the Looney Tunes gang skateboarding through Deansgate Square.
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But how exactly does the tour work?
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Using the latest technology, QR codes have been hidden within each piece of character art revealing a virtual map and the opportunity to discover what else is new from the Looney Tunes – including the chance to watch a trailer for the new Space Jam: A New Legacy film, which is hitting screens this year.
The map shows each location on the trail, and allows people to discover them all as they make their way through central Manchester.
The trail locations are:
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Spinningfields
Deansgate Square
First Street
Circle Square
Canal Street
111 Piccadilly
The Pen and Pencil
Common x2
Primark
Exchange Square tram stop
Printworks
Street artist Captain Kris was able to bring the characters to life through imaginative design / Credit: CityCo & Manchester BID
Captain Kris and street art collective Blank Walls designed the artwork with the aim to make the trail vibrant and interactive.
“Like most people, I’ve loved Looney Tunes since I was a child,” Captain Kris said.
“It’s been a lot of fun creating these cheeky, adventurous poses, with the Looney Tunes characters wreaking havoc across Manchester.”
Speaking on the arrival of the new art trail, Vaughan Allen, Chief Executive of CityCo & Manchester BID, said: “Manchester is renowned for its street art which is well-loved by residents, workers and visitors [so] we’re delighted to be partnering with the legendary Warner Bros company to bring its iconic Looney Tunes characters to the city centre for this fun, family-friendly, outdoor art trail.
“This is a great way of continuing to animate the city this summer in support of our business community.”
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You can explore Manchester’s Looney Tunes trail from now until the end of July.
The Manc has been following the Looney Tunes characters as they’ve been popping up around the city this past week, so head on over to our Instagram (@the.manc) and TikTok (@the.manc) to see them all in action.
Featured Image – CityCo & Manchester BID
City Centre
Castlefield is being transformed into Gotham amidst more Hollywood filming in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Castlefield, with its iconic viaduct and cobbled streets, is once again being used for big-budget filming as the latest Batman/DC Universe title, Clayface, looks to be setting up in the eye-catching Manc corner.
Whether it’s football kit reveals and brand shoots, BBC dramas or the next upcoming Netflix series, production crews can’t get enough of Castlefield, it would seem.
For those who hadn’t heard, work on the new Clayface movie revolving around the cult favourite Batman villain is well underway, and the North West has been used as the backdrop on multiple ocassions this month already.
You can see early glimpses of the set being put together down below.
Come on, how cool is it that we get to stumble on stuff like this right on our doorstep so often?
Speaking to The Manc, a source detailed that the set is being assembled today (Tuesday, 16 September) ahead of a single day of principal photography on what we can only assume is more Clayface filming sometime tomorrow.
While she could not confirm with us directly, she said, “If you’re a comic book nerd and look at the posters, you’ll be able to figure it out.” We’ve certainly been studying all the easter eggs already.
It might not quite be as dark and gritty as Gotham City, but this particular part of Manchester has been used in TV and film – especially period dramas – many times for good reason.
The Victorian-era steel structure, dark red brick and overall industrial aesthetic work so well when it comes to creating a believable and cinematic world.
Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, you can add multiple music videos, several Manchester United and Man City shirt launches, and so many more that we’re starting to lose track.
As for Clayface, this isn’t even the first time the upcoming DC ‘body-horror’ flick has popped up in Greater Manchester.
Last week saw the equally striking Art Deco facade of the old The Plaza Super Cinema in Stockport turned into a fictional movie premiere to stunning effect:
Speaking of, another childhood favourite is filming here in Manchester right now, too.
Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, the new Narnia adaptation by Greta Gerwig may just be one of the biggest projects that has ever landed underneath the familiar ‘birdcage’.
ln fact, it just so happens that there are actually multiple noteworthy small and silver screen works fighting over the Castlefield shooting schedule at the moment…
Huge vintage home show to take over historic Manchester building next month
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most historic buildings is set to host a huge home show full of vintage finds next month.
The Vintage Home Show is taking over Victoria Baths for their second event of the year.
For anyone looking to add a retro touch to their homes, this is a chance to feast your eyes on a carefully-curated collection of furniture, homeware, ceramics, artworks, vinyl records, and more stocked by more than 60 knowledgeable sellers in a welcoming atmosphere amid the empty Grade II-listed swimming pool.
Planning to renovate in a vintage style? Or looking for one missing piece of the puzzle? This event can help you track down that something special for your home.
From one-off minimalist pieces, to mass-market retro and kitsch classics, with prices for items starting from as little as £1, you’ll have the chance to shop the collections of dozens of quality independent dealers from right around the UK, all under one historic roof.
Browse a selection of vibrant stalls featuring pieces spanning from the mid-century decades to the bold brightness of the 1990s, and everything in between.
No matter what your budget, you’ll find that gorgeous something to suit your impeccable taste.
Once you’ve finished shopping everything you need to transform your home, you can stop off at Victoria Baths’ on-site cafe to treat yourself to a selection of cakes, savouries, pastries, and soup, as well as both hot and cold drinks.
A huge vintage home show will be taking over the historic Victoria Baths in Manchester next month / Credit: Vintage Home Show
The Vintage Home Fair will take over Victoria Baths on Sunday 5 October, kicking off from 10:30am for keen shoppers after ‘Early Bird’ entry, while ‘Standard Entry’ starts at 11am and runs through the day until 3:30pm.
Due to popularity, the event will be operating a timed ticket entry process, that way organisers can manage the numbers of visitors in the building at any one time to allow everyone a chance to see everything.
Read more:
Tickets are now on sale, priced anywhere from £2 to £6 depending on the time you go, so you simply need to arrive anytime within your allocated hour and stay as long as you wish.
Emily Sergeant -
16th June 2021 
