Shadowbox Studios has secured £250 million in financing for Shinfield Studios, its state-of-the-art film and television studio in the UK, from Apollo-managed funds (NYSE: APO). The refinancing follows the completion of construction last year with the site becoming fully operational and attracting major film and high-end television (HETV) productions.
The one million-square-foot facility is one of the largest studios in the UK and features 18 world-leading soundstages, workshops, contemporary office space, and over eleven acres of backlot. Since its debut, Shinfield Studios has quickly become a destination for high-profile productions, including Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and The Acolyte, a Star Wars series, alongside productions for all of the major US streaming services.
“We are tremendously proud of what we’ve accomplished since fully opening Shinfield Studios last year,” said Peter Rumbold, CEO of Shadowbox Studios. “Shadowbox’s business model is predicated on providing modern, high-quality film infrastructure, and today’s announcement both marks a major milestone for Shinfield and further validates the importance of purpose-built facilities within the global production landscape.”
“Apollo’s breath of experience across real estate, media, and entertainment makes them an ideal financing partner for Shinfield. We are thrilled to have worked with Apollo on the transaction and look forward to building on this relationship in the future,” added Thuong Luong, Shadowbox Studios’ EVP of Real Estate Investments & Acquisitions.
Film and high-end television (HETV) production spending in the UK reached £5.6 billion last year, according to the BFI’s official statistics for 2024.* Inward investment into the UK represents 86% of this figure. Through providing the premium, bespoke infrastructure and operations needed by large-scale production, Shinfield strives to continue attracting significant domestic and international investment to the local economy.
Since opening, Shinfield Studios has attracted productions from US streamers and studios, as well as the independent sector in the UK.
“Shinfield Studios is among the most attractive and well-situated studios in Europe, with a strong and growing list of high-quality productions,” said Ben Eppley, Partner and Head of Real Estate Credit, Europe, at Apollo.
Shadowbox Studios is a global studio development and operations platform with flagship assets in three of the world’s most active production markets. Alongside Shinfield, the company owns and operates a 9-stage, 850,000-square-foot campus in Atlanta, Georgia—home to blockbuster productions including Jumanji: The Next Level, Jungle Cruise, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It is also developing a 10-stage, 500,000-square-foot studio on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Shadowbox Studios has continued its global expansion by recently announcing a partnership with Jordan’s Olivewood Studios. Not only providing studio facilities, their studio services include studio sourcing for some of the industry’s largest production companies and comprehensive studio management. It also operates an in-house workforce development program, Backlot Academy, aimed at growing crew bases in various domestic and international markets.
