WATCH: Leaderfoot appears in trailer for new HBO series The Franchise as release date confirmed

It's already played a role in the likes of Indiana Jones and The Avengers.

But it's hoped the creation of a new screen strategy will help attract more big-money blockbusters to the Scottish Borders.

The local authority has announced its support for the film industry ahead of the release of superhero comedy The Franchise, which includes scenes shot at the Leaderfoot Viaduct, near Melrose, this summer.

Richard E Grant was among the stars to converge on the Borders beauty spot for filming in May - three years after Harrison Ford led a star-studded cast filming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

An official teaser for the show includes a two-second clip of a fighting scene on the banks of the River Tweed.

It makes its debut on American TV network HBO on Sunday, October 6th - although viewers in the UK will have to wait until October 21st to watch on Sky.

Welcoming the opportunity to showcase the region on TV screens around the world, Scottish Borders Council leader Euan Jardine told Greatest Hits Radio: "I think it's really important, it puts us on the map and supports our tourism economy.

"We've created a new screen strategy, working with Film Edinburgh, so we can be marketing this area. And it's not just about providing a location, it's looking at how we can build jobs, how can we build skills around that?

"So when crews do come to film here, we've got local people who can be part of that production crew; we're giving them the opportunity to get into that creative sector."

WATCH: Click on the link below to view the official trailer for The Franchise...

Students from Borders College were invited to take part in the Warner Bros production, and it's hoped the expertise offered at Heriot-Watt University's School of Textiles and Design in Galashiels could add to the area's appeal.

Councillor Jardine added: "We're actively out there, networking, to ensure that we can establish the Scottish Borders as a base for film and TV."

The Franchise is directed by Sam Mendes, who's been behind a string of box office hits, including American Beauty, James Bond (Spectre and Skyfall) and Jarhead.

It took production teams more than a week to set up all the staging and pyrotechnics at Leaderfoot, which was bathed in sunshine most of the time the cameras rolled.

Much of the production team set up base on Charlesfield Industrial Estate, near St Boswells, along with huge trailers and a giant marquee - with a flurry of vehicles transporting teams back and forth.

WATCH: Click on the link below to see more behind the scenes footage...

It's hoped the TV series can have a similar impact to recent productions - with Film Edinburgh telling councillors that St Abbs is still welcoming an increase in visitors - five years after doubling as New Asgard in Marvel movie Avengers: Endgame.

It's just the latest in a series of local landmarks to feature in major productions.

Carolside House, near Earlston, also appears in Apple TV series The Buccaneers, which includes scenes shot at Stichill Linn waterfall, near Kelso.

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