Warner Bros. announced plans to expand its U.K. studio, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, building three new state-of-the-art stages and adding 100,000 square feet of office space. The company also revealed that its new Tarzan action adventure has started shooting in the U.K. and will film at the Leavesden studio and on location.
The announcements were made ahead of a reception celebrating the creative industries, hosted by British Prime Minister David Cameron at No. 10 Downing Street, attended by Kevin Tsujihara, CEO, Warner Bros. and Josh Berger, president and managing director, Warner Bros. UK.
The expansion of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden will see the construction of three new sound stages including one 35,000 square foot and two 17,000 square foot buildings, with 20,000 square feet of adjacent office space. Work is set to be completed by the end of 2014, bringing the studios’ total number of sound stages to 13.
Two new buildings located next to Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden have also been acquired to grow the production office space by a further 105,000 square feet.
Earlier this year, the company opened a 50,000 square foot workshop space, an external tank and another new 48,400 square foot sound stage.
“Warner Bros. has produced some of our most popular and successful films in the UK, working with British talent,” said Tsujihara. “The expansion of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden will allow us to further tap into the world-class creativity and innovation available here to continue this tradition of filmmaking excellence.”
Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden opened in June 2012, becoming the first studio of its kind to be built in the U.K. in 70 years. The studios currently represent over a third of the available film production stage space in the U.K. and have already played host to Edge of Tomorrow, Heart of the Sea and Man from U.N.C.L.E., as well as TV productions, commercials and music videos.