Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that its U.K.-based studio -- Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden -- will be the primary production hub for DC Studios.
Per Variety, WBD plans to expand the location by more than 50 percent, adding 400,000 square feet of production and support space and increasing the total stage count from 19 to 29. The expansion is scheduled to break ground in the second quarter of 2024, with 2027 being listed as the expected completion date. DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran will reportedly consult on the expansion to "ensure that their ideas are incorporated" into the new facilities. At the time of writing, it is unknown which upcoming DC titles are expected to shoot at Leavesden.
"Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is globally recognized for its exceptional soundstages and facilities, and with this planned expansion adding significant capacity and capabilities, it will be home to even more incredible storytelling for both film and television projects," said Warner Bros. Discovery Studios COO Simon Robinson. "We are proud to not only be growing our productions in Leavesden and making it the main hub for DC Studios but also to be growing our economic and community contributions to the UK’s creative sector."
Warner Bros. Discovery titles that have recently filmed at Leavesden include the Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon; the $1 billion blockbuster hit, Barbie; and the final installment in the DC Extended Universe, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. WBD estimates that the Leavesden expansion will create 4,000 new direct and indirect jobs across the United Kingdom.
Warner Bros. Goes All in on DC
WBD CEO David Zaslav recently stated that DC "has been underused" by the company. The head of one of the oldest film studios plans to change that, with WB going all in on DC content. Gunn and Safran have outlined a 10-year plan for the DC Universe beginning with the animated series Creature Commandos. The first film released under this new shared universe will be Superman: Legacy in 2025, followed by new takes on Batman, Supergirl and Swamp Thing, as well as the big-screen debut of The Authority. On the TV side, exclusive original series for WBD's Max streaming service include Lanterns, Paradise Lost, Booster Gold and Waller, as well as the aforementioned Creature Commandos. All 10 projects will be part of the first chapter -- titled Gods and Monsters -- of the DCU.
Creature Commandos premieres on Max in 2024, followed by Superman: Legacy in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Source: Variety