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Universal’s Sky Studios Elstree Hosts ‘Wicked,’ ‘Jurassic Park’ Sequels in Expanding Overseas Production Footprint
Universal's Sky Studios Elstree is expanding its overseas footprint with 'Wicked,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'Bridget Jones' sequels.
It certainly ticks all the necessary boxes — a major musical adaptation of one of the world’s most successful stage shows and featuring an all-star cast led by the almost-EGOT Cynthia Erivo and, in her first feature-film lead role, pop princess Ariana Grande. First announced by Comcast’s pay TV giant Sky in 2019, approved by local authorities in 2020 and opened for the cast and crew of “Wicked” in 2022, the newly built site — just north of London (and a stone’s throw from where the original “Star Wars” shot) — is spread across 27.5 acres and 12 stages, ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 square feet. While the U.K. has long been a major destination for Universal thanks to its formidable skills base and tax credits (NBCUniversal has invested more than $1.2 billion in U.K. content across film and high-end TV in the last three years alone), prior to opening Elstree it — like everyone else — had to hire whatever space it needed.
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