'Star Trek: Discovery' Toronto Studio To Expand

The success of Star Trek: Discovery is being felt throughout the pop culture world - including at Pinewood Toronto Studios.

The production space, which Discovery films in, is reportedly set to double its square footage, as a way of motivating Hollywood blockbusters to film on their lot. According to those tied to Pinewood, this is partially a result of Discovery, which takes up a significant amount of the soundstages.

"They gobble up a lot of space." Alfredo Romano, a partner and investor in Pinewood Toronto Studios, told The Hollywood Reporter. "So we need to expand."

According to sources, the studio's 11 soundstages currently cover 330,000 square feet of space. The reported plan is to add 96,000 square feet of space by the end of 2019, as well as to eventually double to 700,000 square feet. This will help accommodate the current and future productions on the lot, including a second season of Discovery, the DC Comics film Shazam!, and the upcoming Fantastic Voyage remake.

The expansion reportedly is also due to Toronto becoming an increasingly popular filming location. Suicide Squad and It both filmed in the locale, as well as Designated Survivor and the upcoming DC Comics series Titans. The lack of available studio space has negatively impacted the city, with other productions choosing Vancouver, Atlanta, and New York City.

"We're at capacity," Brad Duguid, Ontario's minister of economic development and growth, explained. "It kills us to know there's production that could be coming here, but isn't because there's no space."

Discovery's midseason finale left the show in a pretty unique position, one that will probably only be heightened in season two. After the midseason finale, the running fan theory has been that the show made a leap to the Mirror Universe, the fan-favorite world explored periodically in the Star Trek canon. But don't worry, the show's producers have already hinted that the show will ultimately reconcile with its unique spot in the Trek world.

Star Trek: Discovery returns to CBS All Access on January 7, 2018.