Disney rents Pinewood studios as original content war cranks up
Disney is said to have agreed to rent most of production hub Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, in a move which intensifies the battle for Britain’s production talent.
The film and TV giant has reportedly signed a decade-long lease for the entire space, except for a handful of TV studios.
Pinewood has spawned generations of film hits since it opened in 1936, including the James Bond franchise, Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The news was first reported by the Sunday Times.
The move follows Netflix’s announcement that it plans to create a major production centre at Pinewood’s Shepperton studios to make original shows.
Britain’s rich history in film and TV has made its studios among the most in-demand on the plant among the US entertainment giants.
Netflix, Amazon, Apple and Disney are pumping out thousands of hours of original shows every year across their streaming platforms in a bid to become the primary streaming platform.
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