Nearly 7,500 people have applied to be extras in a Danny Boyle film being shot in Suffolk and Norfolk only 24 hours after the call went out to fill 5,000 spots.

The thousands of extras are needed for a concert scene which is being filmed on Gorleston beach on Wednesday, June 27, and the target has already been exceeded.

The film, which also stars Suffolk pop superstar Ed Sheeran, is understood to be set in a world where The Beatles never existed and has been provisionally named All you Need is Love.

The movie has been written by Richard Curtis, of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill fame.

Curtis’s long-term partner, writer and broadcaster Emma Freud tweeted on Tuesday: “Yesterday we tweeted our search for 5000 people who are happy to be unpaid concert spectators for the film we’re making with Danny Boyle.

%image(15332352, type="article-full", alt="Film crew at the Gorleston Ocean Room to film the new Richard Curtis and Danny Boyle movie. Picture: NICK BUTCHER")

“Today we registered the 7,400th person! Twitter - you are INCREDIBLE.

“Thank you everyone who tweeted it. After 24 hours we are full!”

The production has already shot scenes in Lowestoft, Halesworth and at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

Cinderella and Downton Abbey star Lily James has also been spotted shooting scenes in the region alongside co-star Himesh Patel.

%image(15177440, type="article-full", alt="Ed Sheeran performing on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture: YUI MOK/PA WIRE")

Screen Suffolk, which is the official film office for the county and represents all seven district councils and Suffolk County Council, said the response was “incredible”.

The office offers a ‘one-stop’ film service, from initial enquiry through to crew sourcing and permitting.

Rachel Aldridge, from Screen Suffolk, said: “Since we shared the call out for extras on our social media the response has been incredible.

“Normally crowd scenes like this are added in post production but Danny Boyle likes his scenes to be as real as possible.

%image(14552544, type="article-full", alt="Richard Curtis, who wrote the film, pictured during filming in Halesworth. Picture: NICK BUTCHER")

“The team are looking for 5,000 people and that target has already been exceeded.

“It’s a great opportunity for locals to be part of the film and have a great day out into the bargain.”

Screen Suffolk is supporting the production by arranging work placements for young locals looking for experience.

For more information visit www.screensuffolk.com

%image(15332361, type="article-full", alt="Lily James on set during filming of a new Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis movie in Halesworth. Lily James on set Picture: Nick Butcher")

%image(15332362, type="article-full", alt="Emma Freud tweeted about the "incredible" response to the call for extras Picture: TWITTER")