Where was A Thousand Blows filmed? Filming locations of Steven Knight's drama series, explored

A Thousand Blows is all set to premiere on Disney+ on February 21, 2025. Created by Steven Knight, the first two episodes of A Thousand Blows premiered at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival. Set in Victorian London, the filming location for A Thousand Blows majorly included old alleys of London, and the Mortlake Brewery.

A Thousand Blows is inspired by the true-life events of a group of characters battling for survival in the 1880s East London. The story features two boxer best friends, Hezekiah (Malachi Kerby), and Alec (Francis Lovehall) from Jamaica, who come to London's East End in search of a better life. However, things aren't easy as they face London's dangerous veteran boxer, Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham) in the rings.

The trailer captures the essence of the dark alleys of East London. The various filming locations of A Thousand Blows were curated in such a way that they blend well with the post-Industrial Revolution London.

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Where was A Thousand Blows filmed?

Different locations in and around London were chosen for filming this Steven Knight series. Here's a list of various filming locations of A Thousand Blows:

1) The Stag Brewery, Mortlake

The Stag Brewery, Mortlake soon to be converted into a housing area, is the main filming location for A Thousand Blows. The empty Budweiser building became the perfect backdrop for the series set in the 1880s. The production company (Storyworks Studios) has recreated the entire scene to portray the dark alleys of Victorian London on the brewery grounds.

The Mortlake Brewery was founded in 1487. James Watney& Co. bought the Mortlake Brewery and built the Maltings building in 1903. The brewery stood the test of time even after being bombed during the Blitz in 1940. In 1995 Anheuser Busch InBev began operating on this site and mostly brewed Budweiser here.

In 2009, Anheuser Busch InBev declared that they would move to South Wales. In 2015, Budweiser ceased to be brewed on the site. However, the development committee decided to finally redevelop the area which would have 1000 homes and amenities ranging from cinema halls to schools. The former brewery thus became a perfect set for the TV drama.

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2) Towpath beside Storyworks Studios, South West London

Not just in Storyworks Studios, filming of A Thousand Blow took place beyond the walls of the property too. The towpath which leads to the studios has been turned into a film set. The towpath beside the river Thames sits beautifully with the theme of Steven Kinght's series.

The residents who were allowed to step into the filming location of A Thousand Blows had to sign an NDA which barred them from clicking photographs. The production team has also set up scaffolding with cameras from each tower monitoring the scene.

Towpaths played a significant role in global trade history. Initially used for animal haulage, these trails were also used for local and mechanical haulage in the later years.

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3) London's East End

A Thousand Blows primarily features the life of two boxers in London's East End. The East End played a vital role in the Industrial Revolution as it turned out to be a major center in the 19th century. Famous for notorious crimes, this location also captures the history of the working class.

The trailer shows how Hezekiah and Alec get jumbled up in the illegal boxing scenes of London's East End. The East End of London has a long history of boxing featuring famous boxers. Surrounded by poverty, many illegal boxing spaces sprung up during the 1880s. The Repton Boxing Club founded in 1884 has been a breeding ground for boxers to date.

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How to watch A Thousand Blows?

A Thousand Blows will premiere on Friday, February 21, 2025, on Disney+ in the UK, and Hulu in the US. There are a total of 12 episodes. Disney+ subscription starts from as low as $9.99/month. For the add free version one has to pay $15.99/month or $159.99/month. Hulu subscription starts from $9.99/month.

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