The Hamilton Toy Museum & Collectors Shop in Callander, a beloved local attraction for 175 years, was transformed into a movie set over the weekend as crews filmed the opening sequence of the upcoming horror film Robert Returns.
Iconic Toy Shop Provides Ideal Backdrop
The family-run shop, which features one of the largest privately owned toy collections in the UK, provided the perfect nostalgic setting for the film's key scene. The crew spent the weekend shooting what will be the opening sequence of the movie, which reimagines the infamous haunted doll.
Robert Returns is the latest instalment in the Robert the Doll franchise, which began with 2015's Robert from late UK genre filmmaker Andrew Jones. The original series includes The Curse of Robert the Doll, The Toymaker, The Legend of Robert the Doll, and Robert Reborn, all available on Netflix.
Cast and Crew Praise Hospitality
Producer Gary Collinson expressed gratitude for the warm welcome, stating: "The Hamilton Toy Museum is such a unique location, and a true step back in time. Not only did it serve as the ideal location for our film, but its remarkable collection brought back many childhood memories for our cast and crew. We're very grateful to Cris and Catriona for allowing us to film there, and appreciate the hospitality of the Callander locals who stopped to chat with us."
The film features a Scottish flavour, with Elle O'Hara (The Baby in the Basket, Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned) leading the cast alongside 10-year-old newcomer Iona McGill, and Stephen Kerr and Nathan Shepka (Death Among the Pines). The cast also includes Annabelle Lanyon, who starred alongside Tom Cruise in Ridley Scott's Legend, and Robert series veteran Lee Bane, along with Ian Plunkett, Nico Palmieri, Gary Collinson, David McCallum, John Walker-Gray, David Rogerson, and Zinny Udala.
Production and Release Details
Robert Returns is produced and financed by IMP Studios and distributor 4Digital Media, with Shepka Productions and Flickering Myth as production partners. This marks the latest collaboration between the two companies following the gothic horror feature The Baby in the Basket and the upcoming suspense thriller Death Among the Pines, which releases in the UK this September from High Fliers Films. Robert Returns is scheduled for release in the US and UK in early 2027.
