WBD Expands Leavesden Studio Facilities

Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden (WBSL) in the U.K. is set to undergo significant expansion with the addition of new soundstages and production space as it becomes the primary production hub for DC Studios.

Warner Bros. Discovery is adding ten soundstages, to reach a total of 29, and 400,000 square feet of production and support space to the complex in Leavesden. The initiative will expand the studio’s production capacity by more than 50 percent. Construction begins in Q2 of next year and is expected to be completed in 2027. By then, the size of the facility will have grown to 1.78 million square feet.

Simon Robinson, COO of Warner Bros. Discovery Studios, said: “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. 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 U.K.’s creative sector.”

WBSL has been home to a raft of film and television productions, including House of the Dragon. As it becomes the primary production hub for DC Studios, the unit’s co-chairs and CEOs, James Gunn and Peter Safran, will consult with the expansion team to ensure that their ideas are incorporated into the new studio and production facilities.

The expansion is expected to create another 4,000 new direct and indirect jobs across the U.K., boosting WBSL’s contribution to the U.K. economy by more than £200 million, increase the total value of film and television production at WBSL to over £600 million annually.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, noted: “The enormous strength of our creative industries sees films and television shows made in the U.K. reaching cinemas and front rooms across the world, including Barbie and the House of the Dragon series. Warner Bros. Discovery’s ambitious plan to grow its Leavesden studio is a huge vote of confidence in the U.K.—creating thousands of jobs and growing our economy—and means that British-made entertainment will continue to delight and entertain global audiences.”