Stars are swapping the streets of Hollywood for the Scottish Highlands and beyond as the north and north-east continues to make its mark on the entertainment industry.
And we’ve got plenty of films and shows highlighting the best of the region to keep you busy as you ring in the new year.
Loch Ness: They Created A Monster
Three-time Scottish BAFTA winner John MacLaverty braved the cold loch to share the extraordinary tales of Nessie myth-hunters of the 1970s and 1980s.
The darkly comic documentary was created using archive footage and contemporary interviews that delve into the rumoured sightings of the iconic monster that has yet to be found.
MacLaverty cleverly explores the implications of how this fascination on uncovering “the truth” has tainted the once serene shores of Loch Ness.
Loch Ness: They Created A Monsters hit UK theatres on November 10, 2023.
Granite Harbour
The streets of Aberdeen were cordoned off once more when BBC’s Scottish crime-drama Granite Harbour commenced filming.
Granite Harbour – which has been met with a mixed response – continues to highlight the north-east’s potential for the camera.
Viewers recognised locations like the harbour, Fittie Bar, Marischal Square, Castlegate and the beachfront featured in the programme’s debut season.
No release date has been confirmed for season two.
The Traitors
Claudia Winkleman is making her much-anticipated return to the stunning 19th-century Ardross Castle for more mischief and mayhem.
Each episode sees a group of contestants work together to eliminate their fellow players and banish the ‘traitors’ in this ultimate game of deceit.
Earlier this year, production company Studio Lambert revealed they had 40,000 applicants wishing to take part in the upcoming series – a major comparison with the 1,500 who applied for its debut season.
The Traitors season two airs on January 3, 2024 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Screw
Peterhead Prison Museum welcomed the cast and crew of Channel 4 drama Screw through the doors for the show’s second season.
The former prison was transformed into the fictional Long Marsh Prison for both internal and external filming.
Screw first hit the screen in 2022 with season two premiering in August of this year.
Both seasons are available to stream on Channel 4.
Falling into Place
Bridgerton actor Chris Fulton swaps London’s regency for modern romance in Netflix’s romantic-drama Falling into Place.
The film takes place between the Isle of Skye and London and embarks on a love story between two 30-something commitment-phobes with a desire for romance and self-improvement.
Falling into Place, which was released earlier this month, captures the solemn aesthetic of yearning through the wintry scenery of Skye that proves atmospheric as a pair of reserved romantics meet but are burdened with baggage and distance.
Ahsoka
Last year, local Star Wars fans were delighted to see spin-off Andor shine a light on Argyll’s Cruachan Dam.
Production company Lucasfilm ventured further north to the Scottish Highlands to film parts of minseries Ahsoka, which aired on Disney+ in August.
The landscapes of Coigach and Assynt were used as a backdrop whilst Suilven served as a temple complex throughout the eight-part spin-off.
Ahsoka is available to watch on Disney+.
The Crown
The Royal Family have maintained a long-standing relationship with the region for decades, so it’s only fitting that The Crown would utilise their surroundings.
As they could not film at Balmoral itself, the Netflix series used Ardverikie Estate as a stand-in for the holiday home.
This featured quite prominently in the show’s final season as it marked the moment the family learned of Princess Diana’s death.
The Crown is available to stream on Netflix.
The New Wild
This breathtaking documentary highlights Scotland’s wildlife as it takes viewers across the Islands, Lowlands and Highlands.
The three-part series embarks on a journey across the waters of North Uist to Aberdeenshire’s farmlands, sharing insightful tales about local agriculture, habitats and breeding colonies.
The New Wild is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Shetland
Jenson now leads the gripping series across local landmarks, notably having featured Bain’s Beach, Lerwick Harbour and Lerwick Town Hall over the last ten years.
The latest season was met with rave reviews as viewers praised the casting shake-up following Douglas Henshall’s exit.
Shetland is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Outlander
Though primarily filmed down south, fantasy-drama Outlander has featured the historical Culloden Battlefield during earlier seasons.
It was previously used when leading lady Claire visited the grave of Clan Fraser.
Viewers can catch the moment on Lionsgate+ ahead of the show’s return in 2024.
Consecration
Shot on the Isle of Skye, supernatural-thriller Consecration stars Jena Malone as a woman seeking the truth about her brother’s death.
Over the course of the film’s runtime, Malone’s Grace makes a disturbing discovery about herself and the church in which her brother was involved with.
Consecration was released on February 10, 2023.