Dunnottar Castle has been given its latest starring role in a big-budget remake of the classic horror tale Frankenstein.
Actors Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy were among those filming at Aberdeenshire’s top attraction over the past two days.
The castle’s brooding clifftop location near Stonehaven and its dramatic coastal surrounds proved to be the perfect backdrop for the Gothic-style tale of monsters and medicine.
Director Paul McGuigan posted on social media a picture of a camera soaring over the castle from the south cliffs.
He said: “It was beautiful to be shooting back in the homeland today.”
It is understood that Harry Potter star Radcliffe, who plays Frankenstein’s hunchbacked assistant Igor, spent much of his day yesterday being filmed on the south beach with Dunnottar looming overhead.
The glorious sunshine on Monday also saw much of the filming postponed until yesterday, when the cloud cover created the right mood for the film.
Wendy Sylvester, custodian of Dunnottar Castle, said: “The last couple of days have been brilliant, the cast and crew have been so good to work with and very respectful of the site.”
She said James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe were very impressed with the setting.
“James McAvoy has been here before. They have been filming constantly but I said they could come back in the future and I would let them in the castle.
“It has been an exciting couple of days.”
Both actors were later spotted relaxing in Stonehaven after their day on set.
The new take on Frankenstein promises to be a “never-before-seen” twist on Mary Shelley’s 19th-century novel and is told from the perspective of Igor, the troubled young assistant.
Much of the film has been shot in Manchester and it is understood that it is the Dunnottar scenes that will provide the climax to the movie.
Mr McGuigan, who is originally from Lanarkshire, recently directed the hit television series Sherlock, with his film credits including Lucky Number Slevin and Gangster No 1.
It is not the first time that Dunnottar has been used as a film set. Mel Gibson’s 1990 film Hamlet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, was shot at the castle.
The castle was also the inspiration for the Disney Pixar blockbuster Brave.