Naman Shrestha
Adapted from Anne Rice’s books titled ‘The Vampire Chronicles’ and ‘Lives of the Mayfair Witches,’ AMC’s ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’ is created by John Lee Hancock and serves as the third series of the Immortal Universe. Alternately titled ‘Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order,’ the supernatural thriller drama series revolves around the titular secret agency that protects humans from supernatural beings like vampires, witches, and werewolves. The narrative follows a law student named Guy Anatole who has a bright future ahead of him in the Big Apple.
However, he is forced to put his ambitions on hold when a member of the Talamasca reaches out to him and hires him to work on a high-profile mission for the secretive organization. His entire world turns upside down when he learns that his mission is to go undercover and infiltrate the agency’s London Motherhouse in order to find out if someone on the inside is working with the supernatural beings to demolish the organization from its core. The story primarily unfolds in London, which is the hunting ground of various supernatural entities as the protagonist looks to uncover the truth.
Talamasca: The Secret Order Filming Locations
The shooting for ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’ takes place in its entirety in England, especially across Greater Manchester. According to reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the thriller series got underway in October 2024 and went on for about five months before wrapping up in February 2025. One of the makeup crew members, Howard Berger, took to social media to express his appreciation for his fellow cast and crew members in the final days of filming the debut season.
He wrote, “As we come to the final week of filming in Manchester UK, I am so grateful for the entire cast and crew, and most of all these amazing people who supported me, work so hard and diligently, nothing was too great a challenge, even loads of night shooting in the extreme cold, and the best part is they made me laugh all the time. I love them all dearly and I can’t wait to do it again with this amazing team of super makeup pros.”
Greater Manchester, England
Many pivotal sequences for ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order’ were lensed in the ceremonial county of Greater Manchester, located in North West England. Talking about shooting the show in Manchester, the supervising location manager, Gary Barnes, told Screen Manchester, “Bringing a production as big as Talamasca to Manchester presented a range of unique challenges and demands. The City 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 to 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.”
A portion of the shooting also took place at Space Studios Manchester, located on Vaughan Street in the Gorton district. Spanning over 85,000 sq ft of studio space with multiple sound stages, it also houses purpose-built office spaces, dressing rooms, and on-site workshops, making it one of the premium filming destinations for both local and international projects. For the purpose of filming the supernatural spy thriller, the team utilized Stages 3, 4, and 5. In addition to that, they also took advantage of the expansive backlot to build a custom set. Several of the support spaces spread across the facility were also utilized for filming.
Furthermore, many iconic local attractions of Manchester make an appearance in the backdrop of ‘Talamasca: The Secret Order.’ In painting the visual canvas of the show, filming was conducted at The Abel Heywood, an award-winning pub and boutique hotel at 38 Turner Street, Laith Daggamseh; Philip’s Park Cemetery at Riverpark Road in Miles Platting; and The Langley Building on Hilton Street. In addition, the John Rylands Library at 150 Deansgate, the House of Books & Friends at 81 King Street, Chetham’s Library in Long Millgate, Flight Club bar at 98 King Street, Spectator Mill in Ancoats, Victoria Baths on Hathersage Road, and Peter Street Kitchen in Free Trade Hall on Peter Street, also served as key filming sites.
During the shooting process, the cast and crew members were also spotted taping important sequences in and around the Northern Quarter, Harter Street, Bloom Street, Temperance Street, Castlefield, Spinningfields, Mayfield Park at 11 Baring Street, and Piccadilly Train Station. The vibrant neighborhood of Gay Village in the heart of Manchester also served as a shooting site for the John Lee Hancock creation. It is renowned for its thriving LGBTQ+ scene, rich nightlife, and lively bars, clubs, and restaurants. Furthermore, some sequences were also lensed at Bolton, particularly at Howell Croft North. It was transformed into the tube station of London’s Tottenham Court Road, likely due to its historical architecture. In October 2024, the cast and crew were spotted filming the show outside the premises of Liquid and Envy Oldham, a two-story nightclub situated at Retiro Street.
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