The Northern Quarter goes Intergalactic for filming of new Sky drama

The atmospheric back streets of the Northern Quarter have once again been taken over by film crews – this time for a futuristic new drama called Intergalactic.

Tonnes of sand have been deposited around the warren of side streets off Dale Street in Manchester for the new sci-fi drama which is all set in the 23rd century.

Most of the filming has been taking place over at Gorton’s burgeoning Space Studios, but cast and crew headed out to the Northern Quarter for the new location filming at the weekend.

The Sky One drama series is about a group of rogue female criminals who go on the run after breaking out of prison.

Written by Julia Geary, the 10-part series is set in the 23rd century when Earth’s space empire exiles prisoners to another planet. It will follow the central character of Ash, a young flight cadet wrongly imprisoned who gets embroiled in a prison breakout with a desperate group of women who go on the run.

Space-age vehicles have been seen on the side streets as well as piles and piles of sand – which is apparently helping to transform the cityscape into a futuristic badland.

And a banner entitled “Evacuation Area” has been set up on China Lane with even more piles of sand.

Film crews have been spotted all along Back Piccadilly, Mangle Street and China Lane which have all become filming hotspots in recent years thanks to their atmospheric old mill buildings and steel fire escape ladders.

The area was recently used to double as New York for major new superhero movie Morbius starring Matt Smith and Jared Leto, and in recent times has also been used to film Peaky Blinders, BBC drama World on Fire and Cold Feet.

It’s also a fitting time for Intergalactic to be filming, with Halloween in the City‘s inflatable monsters all around the town centre. For the new series is also set to bring to life a fair few monsters of its own as part of the storylines, too.