Prime Video has acquired Bray Film Studios, the historic U.K. studio behind the streamer’s series including “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” and “Citadel.”
Bray, which is located in Water Oakley, Berkshire, just 26 miles outside of central London – spans approximately 53,600 square feet and includes five sound stages, 77,400 square feet of workshops, 39,400 square feet of office space, 182,900 square feet of backlot, and 156,000 square feet of parking space.
“With Bray as our creative home in the UK, we are committed to deepening our relationships with the UK creative community, which is rich with world-class storytellers and creative talent of all kinds,” Prime Video head Mike Hopkins said in a statement. “The acquisition of a studio with such a storied heritage not only empowers us to produce more film and television in the UK, 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.”
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Bray Film Studios, which has held a place in British filmmaking history for 70 years, became the permanent home of the local production company Hammer Films in 1951.
Since then, the studio has gone on to produce projects including Terence Fisher’s “Dracula,” “The Rock Horror Picture Show,” “The Mummy” and “The Curse of Frankenstein.” It was also used to make models and miniatures for Ridley Scott’s “Alien” in the late 70s and was a rehearsal space for Led Zepplin in 1980.
After a period of inactivity, filmmaking at the studio returned in 2017 with the BBC series “Bodyguard,” followed by the Oscar-winning Elton John biopic “Rocketman.” Most recently, the site was owned by Bray Film Studios chairman Frank Burke.
“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,” Burke said. “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 has been the production home of “Rings of Power” Season 2 since 2022. “Citadel” Season 2, which stars Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, will be the first Amazon MGM Studios production to film at Bray post-acquisition, starting in September 2024.
In addition to Bray, Prime Video also has a presence at the U.K.’s Shepperton Studios, where it has a long-term contract for the exclusive use of nine new state-of-the-art sound stages, workshops, and office accommodation, totaling approximately 450,000 square feet.
According to the British Film Institute, combined spend by film and high-end television production (HETV) in 2023 reached £4.23 billion, down 32% compared to 2022 due to the global impact from the Hollywood strikes, but almost level with pre-pandemic levels. High-end TV shows contributed £2.87 billion, or 68%, of the total, while feature film contributed the remaining £1.36 billion, or 32% of the total spend.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said that the government is “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 UK,” Nandy added. “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.”
