The deal marks Amazon’s first acquisition of a physical studio in the UK.
Amazon Prime Video is acquiring Bray Film Studios in the UK, the historic site it recently established as a production hub for the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”.
The deal marks Amazon’s first acquisition of a physical studio in the UK, with Bray set to be used for the production of new and ongoing TV series and feature films. Earlier in 2022, Prime Video signed a long-term, multi-million-pound lease on Shepperton Studios. In the US, Amazon owns The Culver Studios in Culver City, California.
The acquisition of Bray Film Studios, about 26 miles from central London, includes approximately 50,000 square feet of soundstage space across five stages, 7,500 square feet of workshop space, 40,000 square feet of offices, 17,000 square feet of soundstage space and 150,000 square feet of parking. The first production to be based there following the purchase will be the second season of the spy series Russo brothers “Citadel”starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonaswhose filming is scheduled for September.
“With Bray as our creative home in the UK, we are committed to deepening our relationships with the UK creative community, which is packed with world-class storytellers and creative talent of all kinds,” said Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. “Acquiring a studio with such a storied heritage not only allows us to produce more films and TV shows in the UK, but also opens up a wealth of opportunities in the local community for jobs and skills training at every level of the production process.”
The Story of Bray Studios
Bray Studios, located in Water Oakley, Berkshire, has a filmmaking tradition dating back to 1951, when British horror icons Hammer Films made the estate on which it was built their permanent home. Hammer built a studio and filmed dozens of films, including the 1957 cult classic starring Christopher Lee, “Dracula”in Bray before the company moved to Elstree in 1966.
In the 1970s, it was best known as the site where models and miniatures were created and filmed for “Alien” of Ridley Scottincluding the Nostromo spacecraft, while in the 1980s and 1990s it was used primarily as a music venue, where the last rehearsal of the band’s original line-up took place. Led Zeppelin and a rehearsal prior to the tribute concert Freddie Mercury for AIDS awareness. After a period of inactivity, film production resumed in 2017 with the successful series of the BBC “Bodyguard”followed by the Oscar-winning biopic about Elton John “Rocketman”. The second season of “The Rings of Power” began filming in Bray in October 2022.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
