The Real Reason Spider-Man 4 Is Filming in Scotland—And the Advocate Fighting for Local Talent

Glasgow’s streets are being transformed into a Hollywood backlot, complete with yellow taxis, American flags, and the kinetic chaos of a Marvel blockbuster. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fourth entry in the Tom Holland-led series, is set to bring both global attention and substantial spending to Scotland’s largest city. But behind the movie magic lies a controversy that has stunned industry watchers—and at the center of it is Iain Wilkie, the outspoken owner of BBB Talent Agency, whose fight for fairness has made him an unexpected hero in Scotland’s creative community.

Speaking Truth to Power
Wilkie, known for his fearless advocacy and deep commitment to Scotland’s cultural workforce, has publicly challenged the narrative that Spider-Man 4 will deliver meaningful benefits to the local film industry. His criticism is pointed: despite lucrative UK tax breaks designed to lure such productions north, a London-based firm—Entertainment Partners—has reportedly been given exclusive control over crew and talent hiring. According to Wilkie, Scottish professionals have been shut out entirely.

“There’s absolutely no benefit to Scotland from this,” he has said, highlighting what he sees as a systemic pattern: Hollywood reaps the rewards of local subsidies while sidelining the very workforce those incentives are meant to support. His willingness to name industry giants like Sony and Marvel in this critique reflects a moral clarity that’s rare in an industry often defined by silent acquiescence.

A Champion for Community Uplift
Wilkie’s outrage isn’t just about contracts—it’s about the missed opportunity for Scotland’s creative sector to grow. Productions of this scale demand everything from catering to transportation, infusing local economies with millions. But without Scottish crew or talent on set, the benefits are partial at best.

“Unless you’ve got a London-based agent, you’re not going to get any work in Scotland,” Wilkie warns. His proposals are pragmatic and rooted in global precedent: employment quotas for local hires, postcode-based job prioritization, and a more active role for Screen Scotland in ensuring that major productions don’t just film here, but hire here. His vision aligns with calls from First Minister John Swinney to improve infrastructure access, but Wilkie’s grassroots experience gives his arguments a sharper, more immediate edge.

Leading With Vision
For Wilkie, the problem isn’t that Scotland attracts global productions—he celebrates that success—but that the system fails to translate tax-subsidized shoots into long-term industry growth. He praises Screen Scotland’s ability to promote the country as a filming location, but insists equal energy must go into nurturing its people.

Projects like Only Child and The Rig demonstrate what’s possible when local talent is supported. Wilkie sees that as the model for the future: films that not only showcase Scotland’s landscapes but also enrich its creative workforce. And in the stunning irony of a superhero franchise excluding the very heroes of its host city’s industry, he’s become a real-life advocate for change.

As Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into Glasgow, Wilkie’s fight has sparked a broader conversation about what film investment should look like in Scotland. In his eyes, true success isn’t just about cinematic spectacle—it’s about ensuring the people behind the camera, not just the locations in front of it, get their moment in the spotlight.