
STUDIOS
Shinfield Studios, an 85,000 square meter studio facility comprising 18 sound stages, has received planning permission for construction from Wokingham Borough Council. The studio, located at Shinfield, Berkshire, within the Thames Valley Science Park, some 42 miles southwest of London, will be one of the largest film and TV studios in the U.K. once completed. It includes four sound stages which have already been completed and are now ready for operation, with a Disney production confirmed to start in 2022. The studio will also include workshops, a contemporary office environment and a post-production and screening facility, all designed to service large film and TV productions.
Shinfield Studios is part of Blackhall Global Partners, which also owns Blackhall Studios in Atlanta and is developing in the Los Angeles area with a 19-stage facility in Santa Clarita, which is expected to open in 2025.
Related Stories

Cloud Adoption Key to Media Business Exploiting AI

'Secret Level' Director Tim Miller and Epic Games Execs Talk Hollywood's Relationship With Unreal Engine as Version 5.5 Launches
Adrian Wootton, chief executive of the British Film Commission, said: “The U.K. has never been more attractive as a film and high-end TV production base. Indeed, the demand for filmed content continues to grow exponentially, so it is critical that we respond by supporting an increase in studios and stage space capacity, in tandem with significant skills development. Shinfield is an important new development, which will help considerably in continuing to draw production and investment to the U.K.”
Popular on Variety

LICENSING
U.S-based content licensing and channel distribution company, Principal Media has signed a licensing deal with Australia’s largest public broadcaster SBS for feature-length documentary “Magic in the Mountains,” and for 52 episodes of the popular reality series “United Plates of America.” Produced by Coolfire Studios, “Magic in the Mountains” tells how the tiny town of Squaw Valley in California, helped by Walt Disney himself, won the right to host the 1960 Winter Olympics. “United Plates” is hosted by Gary Takle who takes viewers on a journey across America to discover the underlying food culture that exists in every town. Produced by Abode Entertainment, the series is now in its fifth season. – Patrick Frater
SUBSIDIARY
South Korean animation outfit You Need Character Co has set up an India subsidiary and launched “Cricket Pang,” an animation series for kids. The company has engaged Indian national cricket player Ajinkya Rahane as its brand ambassador and will focus on the development of cricket-themed games, as well as publishing a series of “Cricket Pang” storybooks with publisher HarperCollins.
You Need Character attracted $2.3 million in investment in Korea earlier this year. It was founded in 2017 by Minsu Song, a former director of content and character business in iConix, the original company behind animated Korean character Pororo.

Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety
Meta Announces Ban on Russian State Media, Citing Deceptive Influence Operations
Late-Night TV vs. YouTube: Data-Driven Tips on Which Is Better for Celebs Promoting Films
Australia Proposing to Ban Children From Social Media, Joins Wave of Asian Government Crackdowns on Platforms
Why the Video Game Industry Can’t Shake Its Struggles
Most Popular
Luke Bryan Reacts to Beyoncé’s CMA Awards Snub: ‘If You’re Gonna Make Country Albums, Come Into Our World and Be Country With…
Donald Glover Cancels 2024 Childish Gambino Tour Dates After Hospitalization: ‘I Have Surgery Scheduled and Need Time Out to Heal’
‘Joker 2’ Ending: Was That a ‘Dark Knight’ Connection? Explaining What’s Next for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker
‘Love Is Blind' Creator Reveals Why They Didn’t Follow Leo and Brittany After Pods, if They'll Be at Reunion (EXCLUSIVE)
Rosie O'Donnell on Becoming a 'Big Sister' to the Menendez Brothers, Believes They Could Be Released From Prison in the ‘Next 30 Days’
‘That ’90s Show’ Canceled After Two Seasons on Netflix, Kurtwood Smith Says: ‘We Will Shop the Show’
Coldplay’s Chris Martin Says Playing With Michael J. Fox at Glastonbury Was ‘So Trippy’: ‘Like Being 7 and Being in Heaven…
Why Critically Panned ‘Joker 2’ Could Still Be in the Awards Race for Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix
Dakota Fanning Got Asked ‘Super-Inappropriate Questions’ as a Child Actor Like ‘How Could You Have Any Friends?’ and Can ‘You Avoid Being a Tabloid…
Charli XCX Reveals Features for ‘Brat’ Remix Album Include Ariana Grande, Julian Casablancas, Tinashe and More
Must Read
- Film
COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie
By Andrew Wallenstein 2 weeks
- TV
Menendez Family Slams Netflix’s ‘Monsters’ as ‘Grotesque’ and ‘Riddled With Mistruths’: ‘The Character Assassination of Erik and Lyke Is Repulsive…
- TV
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 to Air on CBS After Paramount Network Debut
- TV
50 Cent Sets Diddy Abuse Allegations Docuseries at Netflix: ‘It’s a Complex Narrative Spanning Decades’ (EXCLUSIVE)
- Shopping
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Sets Digital and Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN9jp%2BgpaVfo7K4v46doKymla56tLTIp52inZyZerTA1J2gqKtdqrhufZFsbGprYW2BeHs%3D