Scenes in the Square

Love film?

Get ready for Scenes in the Square.

This February, some of the nation’s most-loved characters, films and iconic scenes will be brought to life in the heart of Leicester Square!

Inspired by Britain’s love of film and a century of cinema from 1920s to 2020s, the dynamic trail of eight interactive bronze statues welcomes you to touch and talk, dance and sing, and of course snap up a selfie with your favourite characters.

Leicester Square has long been the home of film, with the first cinema opening in 1930 and the very first movie premiere taking place here in 1937. This long-term trail marks unforgettable movies from almost every decade from the beginning until now, with each statue playing homage to the scenery it’s entwined in.

From Laurel and Hardy to Batman

Representing the 1920s to 1940s will be legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy who starred in over 100 films together, including Liberty (1929) which is the inspiration for the daring stunt that will see their statues playfully teetering on a rooftop.

Another timeless figure will celebrate his eightieth birthday, as a statue of Looney Tunes’ Bugs Bunny, the animated character to have appeared in the most films in history since his first official appearance in 1940’s A Wild Hare, will grace a nearby flower bed.

Representing the 1950s will be the joyful and iconic figure of Gene Kelly on a lamppost from the timeless dance sequence he directed and choreographed for ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952). The film is regarded as one of the greatest movie musicals of all time.

Meanwhile a stunning statue of Mary Poppins will appear to land gracefully in Leicester Square gardens, the 1964 film a shining example of 1960s cinema and still relevant today with Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s West End musical now playing at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Also gracing Leicester Square’s rooftops will be Batman, DC’s iconic Super Hero, keeping watch over London from a rooftop. First introduced in Detective Comics #27, the heroic statue celebrates Batman’s onscreen presence in every decade since the 1980s.

From Mr Bean to Wonder Woman

The trail will also recognise a British comedy great in Mr. Bean, who bumbled his way to box office success in his first big screen outing ‘Bean’ in 1997, after first appearing on our television screens 30 years ago in 1990, with the versatile comic performer Rowan Atkinson playing the hapless hero.  Only 14 episodes of the original ‘live action’ TV series were made, followed by a further two feature films and three animated series. Mr Bean is now the biggest TV brand on Facebook globally, with 89 million fans. Visitors will be able to share a bench in Leicester Square gardens with Rowan Atkinson’s globally popular creation.

Representing the 2010s will be the treasured British icon Paddington, whose beloved cinematic outings Paddington and Paddington 2 premiered in Leicester Square in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Visitors to Leicester Square gardens will be able to sit on a bench and have lunch beside this marmalade loving star of the two BAFTA-nominated films.

Completing the trail and representing the 2020s and the bright future of cinema, will be Wonder Woman – DC’s iconic Super Hero who stands for justice, peace and equality.  Bursting dynamically through a wall, the figure celebrates the 2020 release of Wonder Woman 1984, starring Gal Gadot.

Celebrating the capital’s rich movie history, this film attraction brings even more fun for all your family and friends in London’s entertainment epicentre. With London’s best restaurants, hotels and attractions all in one area, why not make a day of it – find out more here.

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