Frankenstein comes to Ballyclare

The award-winning English actor, who has also played leading roles in GoldenEye, National Treasure and historical war drama Sharpe, will star in a new six-part TV crime thriller, The Frankenstein Chronicles - part of which is being filmed in Ballyclare.

Northern Ireland Screen, which is funding part of the project, said it “cannot disclose location information during live shoots.” But the Times can reveal that some scenes for the new series are being filmed in the grounds of the old Kirkpatrick Bros. Ltd linen mill on Green Road.

It’s understood that a special set featuring a street scene has been constructed at the site and that filming was due to start this week.

According to ITV, The Frankenstein Chronicles is “a thrilling and terrifying re-imagining of the Frankenstein myth as a six-part period crime drama.”

Produced by Rainmark Films and created by Emmy-nominated director and writer Benjamin Ross, the series is set in 19th century London and tells the story of Inspector John Marlott (Sean Bean) who has been tasked with investigating a series of crimes, which may have been committed by a scientist intent on re-animating the dead.

“The Frankenstein Chronicles is an epic re-working of one of literature and cinema’s most iconic stories,” said ITV’s Director of Drama, Steve November. “We’re delighted to be working with Benjamin Ross, Barry Langford and the team at Rainmark Films with the vision to bring Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein back to life.”

The cast also includes Anna Maxwell-Martin (The Hours), Vanessa Kirby (About Time), Ed Stoppard (The Pianist) and highly acclaimed actor, author and playwright Steven Berkoff.

Filming for the new series got under way at a number of locations across Northern Ireland on January 26.