David Farnor | On 03, Jul 2019

Netflix has announced it is creating a dedicated production hub, featuring 14 sound stages, workshops and office space, at Shepperton Studios in the United Kingdom.

Netflix and its partners will produce new and existing TV series and feature films at the iconic Studios, which are owned by the Pinewood Group. The first Netflix original production to film at Shepperton will be The Old Guard, starring Charlize Theron and Kiki Layne, and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The movie, which is being produced by Skydance Media, Denver and Delilah and Marc Evans, is an action drama based on the comic book series created by author Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernández.

The move is part of Netflix’s drive to grow its presence in the UK. In the last year alone, over 25,000 cast, crew and extras have worked on almost 40 Netflix originals and co-productions across Britain. These include Sex Education in Wales, Outlaw King in Scotland and The Crown at Elstree Studios and across the country. That number is set to increase in 2019, with productions such as Jingle Jangle at Arborfield Studios, Cursed at Langley Studios and The English Game — a new series written and produced by Julian Fellowes — which recently started filming in Manchester.

“Shepperton has been synonymous with world class film for nearly a century and it’s an important production hub for the UK creative community today. We’re incredibly proud to be part of that heritage. This investment will ensure that British creators and producers have first rate production facilities and a world stage for their work,” says Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix.

“We’re pleased to welcome Netflix to Shepperton Studios. Netflix’s decision to base their production hub at Shepperton is a strong vote of support for the Pinewood Group and gives us great confidence as we expand our UK studios. Our plans, which represent the single biggest expansion of stage space across the UK, will see Pinewood Group open twenty-two new sound stages, enabling us to host even more productions. This growth will help secure the ongoing success of the UK film and TV industry”, adds Paul Golding, Chairman, Pinewood Group Limited.

“It’s fantastic to welcome another global player to the UK, the world’s creative powerhouse. With all the opportunities it will bring for UK talent and UK expertise to create new homegrown stories to enthrall audiences worldwide, it’s great to see Netflix making their home here”, comments Amanda Nevill CBE, Chief Executive, BFI.

 

Netflix nears setting up shop at Pinewood

20th May 2019

Netflix has reportedly closed a deal that will see it set up shop in the UK at Pinewood Studios.

Studio space is in high demand in the UK, with the golden age of online content fuelling more and more projects in an attempt to compete for audience demand. Last year, it came to light that the streaming giant was in talks with the iconic home of Star Wars and James Bond, as the company invests more and more in British productions such as Black Mirror and The Crown and, more recently, the smash hit Sex Education.

Now, The Telegraph reports that the deal has been done, with Netflix leasing a third of the space – around 150,000 square feet. This hasn’t been officially confirmed, but it’s clear that Netflix is close to putting pen to paper, with sources telling the paper that it could be paying as much as £40 per square foot, bringing its annual bill to £6 million.

The move comes as Netflix is planning to spend over £11 billion on original content this year. It’s also stepping up its UK team, recently recruiting Sky’s former head of drama, Anna Mensah, to head up its UK scripted projects.

 

Netflix in talks to make Pinewood its UK home

2nd December 2018

Netflix is in talks to set up its UK production arm in Pinewood Studios.

Studio space is in high demand in the UK, with the golden age of online content fuelling more and more projects in an attempt to compete for audience demand. Last week, gaming company and Judge Dredd owner Rebellion decided to set up its own space just outside Oxford by buying up an old printing press. Now, the Financial TimesM.a< that Netflix's solution is to move to Pinewood, none other than the home of Star Wars and James Bond. The iconic production facility is a major part of the UK industry, and as Netflix invests increasingly in UK and European content, associating itself with the famous studio would make for a grand counterpart to its new production hub in Madrid. That facility will be located at Ciudad de la Tele (TV City), a new 22,000m2 campus in Tres Cantos, Madrid, being developed and managed by Grupo Secuoya, a leader in audiovisual production services. Netflix has over 100 European projects announced for this year, including co-productions with a variety of producers and broadcasters, and British programmes are among them, with shows such as Black Mirror and The Crown becoming major flagship titles for the streaming service. The FT reports that the streaming giant is in "advanced talks to take a long lease" at the studio, with discussions having taken place for several months. The FT also notes that Netflix wrote to Spelthorne Borough Council in August to support Pinewood's application for planning permission to expand its Shepperton facilities, saying it wanted "great use" of Pinewood's sites, adding: "In 2018, Netflix plans to spend approximately $8bn on content worldwide, across more than 700 television and film productions. We would like to be able to produce more in the UK, and at Shepperton in particular; however, we are limited by the lack of available space." The £500 million expansion would add around 465,000 sq ft of stage space and associated support facilities to Shepperton. The development would bring the studio up to the scale and standard of Pinewood Studios and make it a "truly world-class facility". Pinewood is also in the process of expanding its Pinewood East site in Buckinghamshire. Should Netflix's talks conclude successfully, it will also join its studio space in Los Angeles, where it leases the Sunset Bronson studios on Sunset Boulevard and a facility in New Mexico.

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