Shadowbox Studios Explained
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
Blackhall Studios joined Atlanta's film scene in early 2017, opening in Metro Atlanta with nine sound stages ranging in size from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet, including one that is the tallest in the state (ceiling height of 55 feet). The studio also opened with a large building for special effects and set design, and a 30-acre 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 square feet to 600,000 square feet, 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.
Blackhall Studios was acquired by Los Angeles-based private equity firm Commonwealth Group for $120 million in April 2021. In 2022, the company received a $500 million investment from tech investor Silver Lake and announced its new name, Shadowbox Studios.[12]
Productions
Films
Television series
References
- Web site: Millikan. Paul. February 17, 2017. Blackhall Studios joins Atlanta's booming film scene. live. March 10, 2021. FOX 5 Atlanta. https://web.archive.org/web/20200812232910/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/good-day-atlanta/blackhall-studios-joins-atlantas-booming-film-scene . 2020-08-12 .
- Web site: Hensley. Ellie. January 3, 2017. Report: Blackhall Studios lands first production — Godzilla 2. live. March 10, 2021. Atlanta Business Chronicle. https://web.archive.org/web/20170107100256/http://www.bizjournals.com:80/atlanta/news/2017/01/03/report-blackhall-studios-lands-first-production.html . 2017-01-07 .
- Web site: McNary. Dave. January 24, 2018. Film News Roundup: 'Black-ish' Star Marsai Martin's Comedy 'Little' in Development. live. March 10, 2021. Variety. https://web.archive.org/web/20180127051737/http://variety.com/2018/film/news/black-ish-star-marsai-martin-comedy-little-1202676162/ . 2018-01-27 .
- Web site: Dennis. Ryan. September 6, 2019. Ryan Millsap's Blackhall Studios expanding in Georgia. March 10, 2021. 11Alive.
- Web site: Saporta. Maria. September 6, 2019. Studio CEO: Georgia's movie marquee is 'on the bubble'. Atlanta Business Chronicle.
- Book: Brummer, Alex . 2020 . The Great British Reboot: Creative Geniuses, White-Hot Technology and Emerging Markets . Yale University Press . 131 . 978-0-300-24349-9.
- Web site: Szalai. Georg. February 18, 2020. Atlanta's Blackhall Studios to Develop Studio Complex West of London. live. March 10, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20200219051250/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/atlantas-blackhall-studios-develop-studio-complex-west-london-1279747 . 2020-02-19 .
- Web site: Grater. Tom. February 18, 2020. U.S. Outfit Blackhall Studios Plans Major UK Film & TV Site; Former Pinewood Exec Hired As President. live. March 10, 2021. Deadline. https://web.archive.org/web/20200219124841/https://deadline.com/2020/02/blackhall-studios-major-uk-film-tv-site-pinewood-exec-hired-1202862250/ . 2020-02-19 .
- Web site: March 5, 2021. Major movie studio files proposal for massive DeKalb County expansion project. March 10, 2021. WSB-TV.
- News: Fuster . Jeremy . July 7, 2021 . Atlanta Studio Sparks Protests for Plan to Clearcut 200-Acre Forest for More Soundstages . TheWrap . Yahoo! News.
- News: Estep . Tyler . May 5, 2021 . Sale of film studio raises questions in DeKalb . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- Web site: Cornfield. Greg. June 14, 2022. Silver Lake Invests $500M in Shadowbox Studios' Soundstage Platform. June 15, 2022. Commercial Observer.
- Web site: Goldsmith. Jill. June 18, 2020. Reopening Hollywood: CEO Of Georgia's Blackhall Studios Retrofits His Production Hub For Return. live. March 10, 2021. Deadline. https://web.archive.org/web/20200620135823/https://deadline.com/2020/06/reopening-hollywood-ceo-georgia-blackhall-studios-production-hub-1202956336/ . 2020-06-20 .
- Web site: Saavedra. John. November 6, 2019. Doctor Sleep: Inside the New Overlook Hotel. live. March 10, 2021. Den of Geek. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124205120/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/doctor-sleep-overlook-hotel/ . 2020-11-24 .
- Web site: Ho. Rodney. August 17, 2020. 'Lovecraft Country,' another Atlanta-produced HBO series, receiving great reviews. live. March 10, 2021. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919040034/https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk-blog/lovecraft-country-another-atlanta-produced-hbo-series-receiving-great-reviews/HWX43746Y5HHPLQFPGXZVLQQI4/ . 2020-09-19 .
- Web site: White . Brett . June 9, 2022 . 'Ms. Marvel' Filming Locations: Was the New Disney+ Show Filmed in Jersey City? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609155734/https://decider.com/2022/06/09/ms-marvel-filming-locations-jersey-city/ . June 9, 2022 . June 9, 2022 . Decider.
External links