Naman Shrestha
Created by Mackenzie Crook, Apple TV’s ‘Small Prophets’ is a British dark comedy series that centers on Michael Sleep, who has led a quiet and lonely life ever since his beloved partner, Clea, went missing under mysterious circumstances seven years ago. He works at a DIY shop and maintains a close-knit bond with his father, Brian. After all these years, Michael comes across a mystical recipe for creating Homunculi in an old journal and embarks on a journey to get to the bottom of what happened to his missing partner, with the help of Homunculi — magical spirits capable of predicting the future.
The eccentric man also enlists the help of his friend and colleague, Kacey, to cultivate the prophesying spirits in his suburban shed, while their boss tries to disrupt their process. However, in addition to providing futuristic guidance, Homunculi also give rise to a series of strange events. Most of the fantastical tale unfolds in and around Michael Sleep’s ordinary, mundane shed, which transforms into a magical space as he begins interacting with the supernatural, with the visuals highlighting the narrative’s mystical nature.
Small Prophets Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘Small Prophets’ takes place entirely in England, particularly in Manchester. From what we can tell, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the comedy show commenced in early May 2025 and continued for nearly two months before wrapping in late June of the same year. Vishal Sharma, a unit photographer, shared a few words about his experience on set. He stated, “Provided additional unit photography for Small Prophets alongside main unit photographer Matt Squire last summer. As ever so nice to see so many familiar faces ❤️ – was a fun sweet job to drop in on.”
Greater Manchester, England
The ceremonial county of Greater Manchester served as the primary production location for ‘Small Prophets.’ For the scenes depicting Michael Sleep’s house, the filming unit set up camp in and around the property at 30 Minehead Avenue in the town of Urmston. Within the same town, most of the pub scenes were shot inside an actual pub called Garricks Head on Moorside Road in the suburb of Flixton. Several important exterior portions, involving Michael and Kacey, were also reportedly taped along Flixton Road, with numerous local businesses and shops featuring in the backdrop.
Moreover, the cast and crew filmed various outdoor scenes along the Urmston Riverside Circular, with Urmston Meadows, River Mersey, and Cob Kiln Wood also making an appearance. For the purpose of shooting, they also took over Woodsend Road in Flixton and transformed it into a film set. You are likely to spot a number of shops in the backdrop, including the Timeline Photography Studio and Gift Shop at 116 Woodsend Road and One Stop at 118-120 Woodside Road. The production team also utilized the locales of Stockport, as the Covent Garden Cafe at 94 Lower Hillgate stood in for the fictional Pickles Diner.
As for the scenes involving the fictional DIY hardware shop called Toolbox, where Michael and Kacey work, they were shot in and around Wickes Stockport at 4 Manchester Road in Stockport. The filming unit of ‘Small Prophets’ was also spotted taping key exterior portions along the Bridgewater Canal under the M60 at junction 7. Other notable movies and TV shows shot in Greater Manchester include ‘Finding Emily,’ ’24 Hour Party People,’ ‘Looking for Eric,’ ‘Last Tango in Halifax,’ ‘Shameless,’ ‘Queer as Folk,’ and ‘The Royle Family.’
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