The Space Studios Manchester team were glued to their tellies yesterday as AMC’s eagerly anticipated Talamasca: The Secret Order dropped in the US and much of the speaking world, although frustratingly you’ll need a VPN to watch in the UK, where AMC’s latest Anne Rice adaptation has yet to be picked up.
The show was filmed over 27 weeks at Space Studios Manchester from mid-2023 until early 2025. Filming took place on Stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 and the backlot at Space was used for a custom set build. The sets created include Cupids Arrow Strip Club, Catacombs and interior and exterior apartment sets. Multiple support spaces were also utilised across the site, as well as production offices, workshops, props stores and unit bases.
An original drama series from AMC Studios, “TALAMASCA: THE SECRET ORDER” follows the story of a secretive society that tracks supernatural beings across the globe and stars Elizabeth McGovern, Nicholas Denton, Jason Schwartzman and Celine Buckens.
Screen Manchester’s Bobby Cochrane said: “Talamasca is rich in a range of Manchester locations and our team worked closely for the duration of filming with the production’s locations department.”
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Gary Barnes, supervising location manager on the project praised the city of Manchester and the team for the support provided: “Bringing a production as big as Talamasca to Manchester presented a range of unique challenges and demands. Manchester delivered a range of brilliant and immediately workable solutions and central to these was the invaluable facilitation provided by Screen Manchester. Without this support and dedication, we wouldn’t have been able achieve what we needed to. I’d have no hesitation in recommending Manchester and Screen Manchester to any international producers looking to film in the UK.”
Line producer Louise Lyons echoed Barnes’ comments: “Space Studios and Screen Manchester have once again proved that no matter how large the production, filming in the north-west of England can be a seamless process when you have the right support. As ever, it was an absolute pleasure to work with the teams and I look forward to our next collaboration.”
Studio manager at Space, Dean Sinacola added: “The original plan was for a simple build on our stages but over time that morphed into several large-scale sets, from hospital to high-end apartments and an exterior build unlike we’ve ever seen on site before. We were able to flex with the show making sure AMC had the best experience possible.”
Screen Manchester supplied the high-end TV production with a cohort of trainees who worked on paid placements with the props, locations, lighting, costume and art departments. This was supported by Screen Alliance North and BFI with funding from The National Lottery.
Viewers will catch sight of a host of striking Manchester city locations including boutique hotel The Abel Heywood, Philip’s Park Cemetery, The Langley Building on Hilton Street, various other parts of the iconic Northern Quarter, the popular Peter Street Kitchen and other corners of Peter Street, the John Rylands Library on Deansgate, the House of Books and Friends, Victoria Baths, Castlefield, Spinningfields, Harter Street and Bloom Street, Chetham’s Library, The Flight Club on King Street, Piccadilly Train Station, Spectator Mill in Ancoats, Temperance Street and Mayfield Park across the course of the drama.
If you’re not up to speed with VPN surfing to catch the latest shows, don’t worry too much – the word on the street is that the BBC is likely to pick up the show, with both of AMC’s previous Anne Rice Immortal Universe adaptations, The Mayfair Witches and The Vampire Chronicles, already available to stream on iPlayer.
