Blackstone and Hudson Pacific Properties Announce Plans for New World-Class Film and TV Studios in the UK
2.8.2021 10:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Blackstone (NYSE: BX) and Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE: HPP) plan to create a major new centre for film, TV and digital production in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210802005278/en/
Artist Impression No. 1 (Photo: Business Wire)
Funds managed by Blackstone Real Estate Partners and Hudson Pacific Properties acquired a 91-acre site, 17 miles north of central London, through a joint venture for £120 million. The acquisition, with an expected total investment of over £700 million, will be the partners’ first expansion of their Sunset Studios platform outside of the US.
The proposed development, which is subject to planning permission, would transform the site into one of the largest world-class film and television studio campuses. The project is expected to create over 4,500 permanent jobs for Broxbourne and the surrounding community and contribute more than £300 million annually into the local economy.
This transaction is a continuation of Blackstone’s existing joint venture with Hudson Pacific, a leading Los Angeles-based office and studio owner and operator. Together, Blackstone and Hudson Pacific own a media portfolio that totals 3.5 million square feet, including 35 active sound stages and on-site creative offices, as well as development rights. Sunset Studios has hosted some of the biggest small and big screen hits including When Harry Met Sally and La La Land as well as numerous Academy Award winning films.
James Seppala, Head of Blackstone Real Estate Europe, said: “We are excited to expand our partnership with Hudson Pacific into the UK, and intend to deliver a world-class studio facility that will help ensure that the UK continues to be a premier destination for content production globally. This is a continuation of our thematic investment focus and long-term conviction in media, entertainment and content creation.”
Victor Coleman, Chairman and CEO of Hudson Pacific, said: “We are thrilled to expand our Sunset Studios platform in the UK, a global hub for film and television production. With our expertise developing and operating state-of-the-art media campuses and Blackstone’s resources and existing market presence, we are confident this facility will be in high demand from leading content creators. We look forward to working with Broxbourne Council to ensure the project has a meaningful positive impact on the local community.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This investment is excellent news for the UK’s film and TV industry, pumping hundreds of millions of pounds into the local economy and creating thousands of jobs for the people of Hertfordshire. The creative industries are at the heart of our plans to build back better. This will be a hub for both UK and international productions, showcasing home-grown talent on the global stage.”
Oliver Dowden MP, Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “This new studio is yet another vote of confidence in the UK’s booming film and TV industry. Through the British Film Commission, we’re supporting the development of stage spaces like this across the UK - boosting the local economy and backing our world-class creatives to make the next Bond blockbuster or bingeworthy box set.”
Cllr. Lewis Cocking, Leader of Broxbourne Borough Council, said: “This represents a fantastic opportunity for the people of our borough. Creative Industries are of strategic importance to us and the creation of over 4,500 permanent new jobs and the associated boost to the local economy is just what we need following the pandemic. We look forward to working with Blackstone and Hudson Pacific to help deliver significant positive change in Broxbourne.”
Artist impressions of the proposed development can be downloaded here and here.
About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $684 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.
About Hudson Pacific Properties
Hudson Pacific is a real estate investment trust with a portfolio of office and studio properties totaling nearly 20 million square feet, including land for development. Focused on premier West Coast epicenters of innovation, media and technology, its anchor tenants include Fortune 500 and leading growth companies such as Netflix, Google, Square, Uber, NFL Enterprises and more. Hudson Pacific is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol HPP and listed as a component of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information visit HudsonPacificProperties.com.
Notes to editors: list of notable productions that have been filmed at Sunset Studios include:
- Project Runway
- Scandal
- X-Men (2000)
- When Harry Met Sally
- Karate Kid
- I Love you, Man
- Zoolander
- La La Land
- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
- True Blood
- Fresh Prince of Bel Air
- Golden Girls
- Hannah Montana
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (Academy Awards Best Picture winner)
- Lost Horizon
- Six Feet Under
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210802005278/en/
Contact information
Media
For Blackstone
Paul Stephenson
Hanbury
paul.stephenson@hanburystrategy.com
Tel: 07725 610 696
Niamh Fogarty
Hanbury
niamh.fogarty@hanburystrategy.com
Tel: 07946 813 843
For Hudson Pacific Properties
Glesni Thomas
FleishmanHillard
glesni.thomas@fleishman.com
Tel: 07528 383 508
Julia Hipkiss
FleishmanHillard
julia.hipkiss@fleishman.com
Tel: 07827896036
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
How Aker Security Builds Control Rooms for Real-Time Decision-Making29.1.2026 11:00:00 EET | Press release
In today’s security landscape, the challenge lies in aggregating, visualizing, and using large volumes of data effectively in situations where time, precision, and coordination are critical. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260129578139/en/ GSOC Aker Security oversees security and preparedness for large parts of the Group, covering several thousand employees. Its services include travel security, global event and incident monitoring, crisis management, and security advisory services. "We approached Cyviz because we needed a solution that could bring everything together on a single platform, while at the same time supporting the way we actually work operationally," says Tonje Evensen Bråthen, Head of the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) at Aker Security. Real-Time Overview in Aker Security’s GSOC The control room is designed for continuous operational use and supports the work carried out in the GSOC. Th
Multi-Color Corporation Initiates Implementation of Restructuring Agreement29.1.2026 08:58:00 EET | Press release
Multi-Color Corporation (“MCC” or the “Company”), a global leader in prime label solutions, today announced that to implement the previously announced restructuring support agreement (the “RSA”), the Company has commenced its prepackaged Chapter 11 filing in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (“the Court”). MCC announced on January 27 it had entered into the RSA with holders of approximately 72% in amount of MCC’s secured first lien debt and its equity sponsor, CD&R, on the terms of a comprehensive financial restructuring. The transactions contemplated by the RSA will significantly deleverage MCC’s balance sheet, reducing its net debt load from approximately $5.9 billion to approximately $2.0 billion. The Company’s annualized cash interest will also be reduced from approximately $475 million to $140 million in 2026, a reduction of over $330 million, with long-term debt maturities extended to 2033 following consummation of the restructuring transactions. A
Takeda Reports Third-Quarter FY2025 Results: Updates Full Year Outlook to Reflect VYVANSE ® Generics Impact, OPEX Discipline and FX Tailwind; Progressing Toward Three Transformative Launches Ahead29.1.2026 08:37:00 EET | Press release
Takeda (TOKYO:4502/NYSE:TAK) today announced earnings results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 (nine months ended December 31, 2025). The gap between incremental Growth & Launch Products revenue and VYVANSE erosion is narrowing, and operational efficiencies drove year-on-year reductions in operating expenses, including R&D. The company raised its full-year forecasts based on cost discipline and FX tailwind, while its Revenue Management Guidance has been updated primarily due to the impact of VYVANSE generics. Takeda is positioned for long-term growth and has multiple late-stage programs with multibillion-dollar peak revenue potential. Following the positive readouts from Phase 3 studies in 2025, the company has submitted New Drug Applications (NDAs) for oveporexton and rusfertide and is on track to file an NDA for zasocitinib. Each of these programs, which Takeda expects to launch within the next 18 months, has the potential to redefine standards of care, transform patient liv
Ubitus Partners with Maizuru City, Kyoto to Launch AI Data Center Project, Advancing the Deployment of a Top-Tier AI GPU Center in Japan29.1.2026 08:00:00 EET | Press release
Ubitus K.K. (Headquarters: Shinjuku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Wesley Kuo), a global leader in cloud streaming and AI solutions, today announced that it will hold a land signing ceremony and press conference with Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture, on January 29, 2026. At the event, Ubitus will officially unveil its comprehensive plan to construct an AI Data Center in Maizuru City, marking the company’s transition into the physical construction phase of its initiative to build a top-tier AI GPU center in Japan. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128944842/en/ Ubitus will launch its Maizuru City AI Data Center project on January 29, marking the first step toward building a top-tier AI GPU center in Japan. Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs and NeoCloud, the project strengthens Japan’s AI infrastructure and regional development. This land agreement represents the first major milestone following Ubitus’ sel
Galderma Unveils ‘Wake Up To Restylane’, Underscoring Restylane as the Ideal Hyaluronic Acid Treatment for Always-On Natural Beauty29.1.2026 08:00:00 EET | Press release
Galderma (SIX: GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, has launched ‘Wake Up To Restylane’, a global campaign that showcases Restylane as an everyday beauty ally. Aligned with the growing desire for effortless, authentic results that restore facial balance and improve skin quality, the campaign highlights Restylane’s unique ability to deliver personalized results that move naturally with expressions to help people look and feel good.1,6,12-18 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128829353/en/ The launch was unveiled at the IMCAS World Congress 2026 in Paris, where Galderma also presented new clinical data reinforcing Restylane’s efficacy across key facial areas such as the chin, jawline, temples, as well as the décolletage, underscoring its unique position as the only HA portfolio offering a variety of formulations for tailored outcomes.1,8-11 “What's compelling about ‘Wake Up To Restylane’ is its focu
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom