Shadowbox Studios (formerly Blackhall Studios) is an American film and television production studio located southeast of Atlanta in DeKalb County, Georgia. The studio has housed productions of many films and television programs and has worked with Hollywood studios including Disney, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros. and HBO.
History
editBlackhall Studios joined Atlanta's film scene in early 2017, opening in Metro Atlanta with nine sound stages ranging in size from 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) to 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2), including one that is the tallest in the state (ceiling height of 55 ft (17 m)). The studio also opened with a large building for special effects and set design, and a 30 acres (0.12 km2) backlot for outdoor filming.[1]
The first production to film at the studio was Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment's Godzilla: King of Monsters.[2]
In 2018, the studio launched its new film production company, Blackhall Entertainment, allowing the studio to finance and produce its own content with the aim of generating up to four films annually. Its first project was the horror thriller, Schoolhouse.[3]
In September 2019, Ryan Millsap, founder and CEO of Blackhall Studios, announced a plan to triple the size of existing sound stages, from 210,000 sq ft (20,000 m2) to 600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2), which would make it the largest purpose-built movie studio in Georgia.[4][5]
In February 2020, the company announced it would develop production facilities on a University of Reading site west of London. Planned to open in 2022, the new complex was projected to cost $195 million (£150 million). It was the first U.K. investment by Blackhall Studios.[6][7][8]
In March 2021, Blackhall Global Partners (BGP), a partnership between Millsap and Commonwealth Real Estate LP, unveiled plans to greatly expand the studio's footprint in DeKalb County, Georgia.[9] BGP wants to build 18 new soundstages totaling 1.2 million square feet on a 155 acre greenfield site adjacent to the existing Blackhall Studios complex. The project is expected to cost $250 million, and make it the largest studio facility in the state.[10][11] Local environmental groups concerned about climate change and pollution have criticized the expansion. They estimate that 3,000 trees will be lost, and are unconvinced that the mitigation the company has proposed is sufficient.[10]
Blackhall Studios was acquired by Los Angeles-based private equity firm Commonwealth Group for $120 million in April 2021.[11] In 2022, the company received a $500 million investment from tech investor Silver Lake and announced its new name, Shadowbox Studios.[12]
Productions
editFilms
edit- Blockers (2018)[13]
- Godzilla: King of Monsters (2019)[2]
- Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)[13]
- Venom (2018)[13]
- Doctor Sleep (2019)[14]
- Jungle Cruise (2021)[13]
- The Tomorrow War (2021)[13]
Television series
edit- Step Up (2018–present)[13]
- Lovecraft Country (2020)[15]
- Ms. Marvel (2022)[16]
References
edit- ^ Millikan, Paul (February 17, 2017). "Blackhall Studios joins Atlanta's booming film scene". FOX 5 Atlanta. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ a b Hensley, Ellie (January 3, 2017). "Report: Blackhall Studios lands first production — Godzilla 2". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2017-01-07. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ McNary, Dave (January 24, 2018). "Film News Roundup: 'Black-ish' Star Marsai Martin's Comedy 'Little' in Development". Variety. Archived from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Dennis, Ryan (September 6, 2019). "Ryan Millsap's Blackhall Studios expanding in Georgia". 11Alive. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Saporta, Maria (September 6, 2019). "Studio CEO: Georgia's movie marquee is 'on the bubble'". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
- ^ Brummer, Alex (2020). The Great British Reboot: Creative Geniuses, White-Hot Technology and Emerging Markets. Yale University Press. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-300-24349-9.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (February 18, 2020). "Atlanta's Blackhall Studios to Develop Studio Complex West of London". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2020-02-19. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Grater, Tom (February 18, 2020). "U.S. Outfit Blackhall Studios Plans Major UK Film & TV Site; Former Pinewood Exec Hired As President". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2020-02-19. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ "Major movie studio files proposal for massive DeKalb County expansion project". WSB-TV. March 5, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ a b Fuster, Jeremy (July 7, 2021). "Atlanta Studio Sparks Protests for Plan to Clearcut 200-Acre Forest for More Soundstages". TheWrap – via Yahoo! News.
- ^ a b Estep, Tyler (May 5, 2021). "Sale of film studio raises questions in DeKalb". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ Cornfield, Greg (June 14, 2022). "Silver Lake Invests $500M in Shadowbox Studios' Soundstage Platform". Commercial Observer. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Goldsmith, Jill (June 18, 2020). "Reopening Hollywood: CEO Of Georgia's Blackhall Studios Retrofits His Production Hub For Return". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2020-06-20. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Saavedra, John (November 6, 2019). "Doctor Sleep: Inside the New Overlook Hotel". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 2020-11-24. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Ho, Rodney (August 17, 2020). "'Lovecraft Country,' another Atlanta-produced HBO series, receiving great reviews". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ White, Brett (June 9, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel' Filming Locations: Was the New Disney+ Show Filmed in Jersey City?". Decider. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.