Amazon Prime Video is acquiring the U.K.’s Bray Film Studios, the historic site it recently set up as a production hub for the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”
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The deal marks Amazon’s first acquisition of a physical studio in the U.K., with Bray set to be used for new and continuing TV series and feature films. In early 2022, Prime Video signed a multimillion dollar long-term lease at Shepperton Studios. In the U.S., Amazon owns The Culver Studios in Culver City, California.
The acquisition of Bray Film Studios, around 26 miles from central London, includes approximately 53,600 square feet of sound stage space across five stages, 77,400 square feet of workshops, 39,400 square feet of office, 182,900 square feet of backlot and 156,000 square feet of parking space. The first production to be located there following the purchase will be the second season of the Russo Brothers’ spy series “Citadel,” starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, which is scheduled to begin filming in September.
“With Bray as our creative home in the U.K., we are committed to deepening our relationships with the U.K. creative community, which is rich with world-class storytellers and creative talent of all kinds,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. “The acquisition of a studio with such a storied heritage not only empowers us to produce more film and television in the U.K., but also unveils a wealth of opportunities in the local community with respect to jobs and skills training at all levels of the production process.”
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Added Frank Burke, chairman of Bray Film Studios Ltd, “For 70 plus years, Bray Studios has held an important place in the history of British filmmaking. During our period of ownership, I, together with my family and team have witnessed the rebirth of this iconic facility and we are extremely proud of the part we have been able to play in bringing it to renewed prominence. We are now genuinely excited to be handing the studios over to Amazon, who we believe share our commitment to quality and excellence and are perfectly suited to preserving the character of the studio while enhancing the first-class creative production spaces for generations of filmmakers to come.”
Bray Studios, located in Water Oakley, Berkshire, has a filmmaking heritage that dates back to 1951, when Brit horror icons Hammer Films made the estate on which it’s built its permanent home. Hammer constructed a studio and would film dozens of films — including the Christopher Lee-starring 1957 cult classic “Dracula” — at Bray before the company relocated to Elstree in 1966. In the 1970s, it was best known for being the site where models and miniatures for Ridley Scott’s “Alien,” including the Nostromo space ship, were created and shot, while in the ’80s and ’90s it was mostly used as a music space, where the very last rehearsal of the original Led Zeppelin band lineup took place and a pre-concert rehearsal for the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness. After a period of inactivity, filmmaking began again in 2017 with hit BBC series “Bodyguard,” followed by the Oscar-winning Elton John biopic “Rocketman.” The second season of “The Rings of Power” began shooting at Bray in October 2022.
“From ‘Rocketman’ to ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ for 70 years Bray Studios has brought us some of cinema’s most iconic moments,” said U.K. culture secretary Lisa Nandy. “We are determined to support the huge potential for economic growth in our creative industries. We want to do all we can to help make sure career opportunities in these exciting sectors are available for people from all backgrounds right across the U.K. This vote of confidence by Amazon MGM Studios will ensure that one of our leading film studios continues to play a crucial role in our first-class screen industries. It will deliver a major investment in skills and infrastructure to enhance our status as Europe’s top filmmaking destination.”
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