Remembering when zombies took over the streets of Glasgow

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the release of World War Z, the zombie film that brought Brad Pitt, hundreds of extras, a media frenzy and road closures aplenty to the city.

Hollywood legend Brad and his creative team loved George Square, according to Glasgow-based production executives, and once the green light had been given from the city council and traffic management experts, it was all go.

The streets surrounding the square were transformed to look like Philadelphia, with road signs, shop fronts and even traffic lights all changed.

When filming started, locals and tourists crowded around the square to get a glimpse of the action, with people living in the flats above shops and restaurants enjoying a bird’s eye view.

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In the film itself, the city can be glimpsed every so often, with the highlight that zombie march on the City Chambers.

One of the other locations used for filming was a former Kwik Save supermarket on Paisley Road West in Cardonald, while cycling charity Common Wheel supplied vintage bikes for filming.

Brad Pitt. Pic: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

At the time of filming in 2011, Brad and Angelina Jolie were still together, so Scotland also enjoyed a taste of the Brangelina juggernaut when the A-list couple and their six children, plus a massive entourage arrived at Central Station.

Crowds, who had got wind of their appearance, gathered to catch sight of the stars, but they were disappointed. The group alighted straight into a fleet of cars waiting on the platform and zipped off down the motorway to an exclusive mansion in Ayrshire.

The Grosvenor Cinema, in Ashton Lane, celebrated the opening weekend of the action horror movie by inviting its local cast members to "walk the red carpet" – or cobbles – while staff donned freaky facepaint and costumes to look like the zombies in the film.

Dozens of ordinary Glaswegians appeared as extras when the film was shot in the city in August 2011, including Godswill Forche, 35, from Paisley, and June Baird, 40, from Riddrie, who were at the event and posed for our photographers.

Were you an extra in World War Z? Share your memories of filming with Times Past – email ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk.