Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden Will Become “Primary Production Hub” for DC Studios

James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios just got a major vote of confidence from Warner Bros. Discovery. According to a press release from WBD, the company will put together a major expansion of their Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden studios. Previously the home for movies like The Batman, Barbie, Wonder Woman, and most of the Harry Potter movies, Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed that this newly improved studio space will officially become a “a primary production hub for DC Studios.” As part of this expansion, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden will add 10 new sound stages and an additional 400,000 square feet of production and support space/

This new expansion for Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden will bring the studio’s total stage count from 19 to 29 with over 1.78 million square footage of production space when construction is complete. This will grow the size of the entire studio by more than 50%, with work expected to start in 2024 and be completed in 2027. Warner Bros. Discovery’s press release on the announcement specifically notes how important these facilities will be to DC Studios, adding: “DC Studios Co-Chairmen and CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran will consult with the expansion team to ensure that their ideas are incorporated into the new studio and production facilities.”

“Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is globally-recognized for its exceptional sound stages and facilities, and with this planned expansion adding significant capacity and capabilities, it will be home to even more incredible storytelling for both film and television projects,” Simon Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery Studios, said in a statement. “We are proud to not only be growing our productions in Leavesden and making it the main hub for DC Studios, but also to be growing our economic and community contributions to the UK’s creative sector.”  

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, added: “The enormous strength of our creative industries sees films and television shows made in the UK reaching cinemas and front rooms across the world, including Barbie and the House of the Dragon series. Warner Bros. Discovery’s ambitious plan to grow its Leavesden studio is a huge vote of confidence in the UK – creating thousands of jobs and growing our economy – and means that British-made entertainment will continue to delight and entertain global audiences.”

Where will DC Studios film their movies?   

The first live-action production that will come out of James Gunn’s DC Studios will be the upcoming Superman: Legacy, which has already secured Atlanta, Georgia as its primary filming location. Knowing that, and knowing what both Gunn and Safran have announced as part of the DC Studios slate, we can start to consider which productions will be set up in the UK with these new facilities. 

After Superman: Legacy, DC Studios has confirmed that feature films of The Authority, The Brave and the Bold (a new Batman movie), Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing, are all in various forms of development. They also have a robust television slate in the works as well, including an Amanda Waller spinoff show, a Green Lantern series, Booster Gold, and a Themyscira-set show titled Paradise Lost. At this point we’re still years away from any of these productions getting in front of cameras, but with Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden set to become a major hub for DC it’s not out of the question to consider that most of these will be shooting there.