McAvoy , who accepted the role in 2011 , said that he almost turned down the part , while reading the script , because Simon seemed to be a victim , which did n't interest him . He told NPR 's reporter Laura Sullivan , " And then I got about 15 or 20 pages in , and I started to sense that something else was coming in the character . And then something else did come . And then about every 10 pages , something else came . Until at the end , I was hungry to play this part . " Principal photography began in September 2011 . After filming wrapped up , the film was placed on hold in order for Boyle to work on the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London . Post-production was then picked up again in August 2012
opening ceremony
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
Trance (2013 film)