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– Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland Council has finalized the sale of the Auckland Film Studios to Auckland Film Studios Limited, a subsidiary of the Xytech Group, in a move hailed by the Mayor as a positive development for the region’s screen production industry.
The studios have served as a production hub for numerous New Zealand and international projects,including classics like Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess,and also more recent blockbusters such as Lord of the Rings: The rings of Power,A minecraft Movie,The Wrecking Crew,Predator – Badlands,and Brad Pitt’s heart of the Beast.
A Boost for Auckland’s Screen Industry
the financial details of the sale remain undisclosed. Though,Auckland Council confirmed that the deal safeguards a $30 million New Zealand Government investment earmarked for the construction of two new sound stages. These funds will be returned to the council and reinvested in further infrastructure improvements for Auckland’s screen sector.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown expressed confidence in the sale, stating, “I’ve some experience here developing movie theatres and film studios, I know the industry and this is a good move that also delivers for ratepayers. We’ll be handing this over to a seasoned operator, and that’s where it should be.”
Phil Wilson, Auckland Council’s chief executive, echoed this sentiment, saying he was “delighted to seal the deal on a long-term future for Auckland Film Studios.” He added, “Our task was to secure the sale of Auckland Film Studios and, through a robust process, we’ve delivered for our important screen industry in west Auckland.”
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Xytech, established in 1997 by Stephen Pryor, currently operates X3 Studios, a 24,000 square metre studio and production facility located in Wiri, South Auckland. X3 Studios opened in 2020 and has hosted productions including all three seasons of the Emmy award-winning Netflix series Sweet Tooth, and the fifth installment of the spartan.
The sale is
