London has the amazing quality of mixing futuristic architecture with historic and this has been reflected in the films that have been shot here. In some places, you really do feel like you are in a galaxy far, far away, and Hollywood seems to agree because Disney has shot several scenes of Star Wars here in their countless new reboots.
Canary Wharf has stood in for a good few scenes in the TV series Andor and the film Rogue One. Its imperious architecture has been the backdrop for many scenes on the city planet Coruscant, as well as the soul-crushing interiors of the Empire’s offices.
The Adams Plaza Bridge, which stretches towards the Cross Rail building from One Canada Square, was used in the Andor TV show as the entrance of the Imperial Security Bureau. Dedra Meero’s first screen appearance was right here in episode 4. It features again in episode 9 in a pivotal scene between Syril Khan and Dedra Meero. Despite the bridge heavily featuring in the shot, the Imperial Security Bureau itself and the Coruscant skyline are all computer-generated to give it that extra futuristic feel.
Canary Wharf Tube station also featured in Rogue One as the Scariff Imperial Security Complex. We see our protagonist Jyn Erso, running down the Jubilee line platform with her droid companion K-2SO in a tense scene behind enemy lines. This too has had a lot of CGI magic done to it to make it look a little more Star Warsy but you can clearly see there’s a lot still kept from the actual station.
Moving over the the City of London, the Barbican is also featured in Andor as a filming location in episode 7. There are many scenes which use the unmistakable concrete walkways, as well as one featured in the post on X below where Kleya and Vel talk to each other. Instead of the recognisable backdrop of the concrete complex, however, the metropolis of Coruscant stretches out behind by computer-generated magic.
It goes to show that London still is a futuristic place in many ways and not entirely crumbling as some people lead others to believe.
Get the top stories from across London directly to your inbox. Sign up for MyLondon’s Daily Newsletter HERE to get the biggest stories every day
