Greater Manchester is being used for big-budget filming once again, as none other than the stunning Stockport Plaza is starring in a new Batman project.
Shared by local page community page, Stockport Online, this past Tuesday, you can see big, old-fashioned Hollywood spotlights hitting the front of The Plaza, a Gotham taxi cab, and plenty more happening just next to the Stockport Interchange.
As explained in the post, the filming outside The Plaza is said to be for the upcoming Clayface movie set within the Batman universe.
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Real name Basil Karlo (though there have been many alternatives over the decades), the DC villain has been a sparsely used one in live-action adaptations of the classic comic book characters, but has appeared in plenty of animated Batman material.
Liverpool was famously used for several location shoots for 2022’s The Batman by director Matt Reeves, which saw Robert Pattinson don the cowl for the first time and ultimately helped revitalise the DCU, with the new Superman film releasing earlier this year.
Filming in the North West has been happening all month, but it was only this week that we saw the Clayface set shift to Stockport for these most recent scenes. There has also been some confusion over whether it is for a TV series or a film, but as far as we know, no such show is currently in the works at WB.
You can see more images of how the area surrounding the building was transformed below:
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We never thought we’d see the Batman universe filming in Stockport, but here we are. (Credit: Eve Cox/Stop in Stockport via FB)
With its stunning Art Deco design, this is by no means the first time The Plaza has been used for high-profile filming, as it was only a few years ago that we saw the period-appropriate structure as a backdrop for Peaky Blinders.
So far, what we do know about the upcoming Clayface film is that the scenes filmed in SK were actually a fictional movie premiere set as part of the story, which is said to be a rare take on body horror by James Watkins, who also directed Speak No Evil, The Woman in Black and an episode of Black Mirror.
There is plenty of horror/thriller pedigree elsewhere in the crew, too; the screenplay comes from acclaimed writers Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, with Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries starring in the lead role. His particular iteration of the amorphous Batman villain made of, yep, clay is called Matt Hagen.
Other names attached to the project include Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan. Set to release this time next year, just a few months after the new Supergirl movie, which is due to drop on June 26, 2026, it looks like Stockport could have played its part in a very big movie masterplan.
Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
England football fans warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of World Cup
Emily Sergeant
England football fans are being warned to remain vigilant, as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup merely weeks from officially kicking off in the North America and Mexico on 11 June, football fans are being urged to guard against scams, as newly-released data from Lloyds has revealed that football ticket scams increased by more than a third (36%) during the current Premier League season.
The findings – which are based on thousands of scam cases between October 2025 and March 2026 – showed that fraudsters focused heavily on popular teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Fraudsters also repeatedly targeted supporters looking for tickets to some of the most in-demand football matches in the UK, which is why, with the upcoming World Cup set to be one of the most speculated sporting events of the year, scam warnings are being issued.
It’s anticipated that fraudsters will target the big-name fixtures and attempt to exploit international demand, according to Lloyds.
England football fans are being warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the World Cup / Credit: Picryl
On average, it was revealed that victims lost £215 during the current Premier League football season, but some fans even paid thousands of pounds for ‘season tickets’ or VIP seats that never existed.
Hopeful football fans are expected to pay much more for expensive World Cup tickets, meaning the potential loss for victims could be ‘devastating’.
As scammers know demand for World Cup tickets will be huge, it’s expected that they will mimic the methods seen in club level scams – including fake listings on social media, pressure to act fast, and requests for bank transfers.
“Fraudsters thrive on urgency and target fans looking for hard to get tickets for big name fixtures,” explained Liz Ziegler, who is the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds.
“Most of the football ticket scams we see start on social media, before the criminal moves the buyer onto WhatsApp and insists on a bank transfer to pay. It’s incredibly convincing, and we don’t want fans to lose their money trying to support their team.
“We’re urging supporters to stay alert and stick to official ticketing channels.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Lloyds and the Home Office have teamed up to take action to protect fans by highlighting how criminals will try to exploit the excitement – with Lord Hanson adding: “Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen support for victims.”
Danny Jones -
11th September 2025 
