Atlanta – DC Comics is coming to Fayetteville Georgia as James Gunn, the director of the Guardians Of The Galaxy movie series, announced that John Cena, Taika Waititi, Peter Capaldi, Idris Elba, Viola Davis, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, Pete Davidson, David Dastmalchian, and Daniela Melchior will all star in The Suicide Squad, to be made at Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayettville GA and released in 2021.
Here’s James Gunn at San Diego Comic Con introducing the Guardians Of The Galaxy cast in 2016:
Thus, The Suicide Squad Sequel rumors are all officially confirmed, and the news is good for the future of what’s now called Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia, and will be that for the next 18 months. Recent news had it that Pinewood sold its stake in the giant movie production facility and would stop operations after that 18 month time frame.
But, it now seems the reports this blogger received that much of the movie production moves out of Atlanta were due to the abortion ban are, to some extent, overblown. DC Entertainment is picking up where Marvel Entertainment, directed by Disney’s overseas and California production focus, has left off.
What’s overtaken politics and made sure that The Suicide Squad sequel is made in Fayetteville is one fact: the size of Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia, with 18 sound stages ranging in size from 15,000 to 40,000 square feet, and on 700 acres of land with a 400 acre backlot, makes it competitive in the movie production market, and that’s enhanced by the state’s movie financing support. Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia has been billed as the “the second-largest purpose-built film and TV hub in the U.S.”
https://deadline.com/2019/08/pinewood-atlanta-studios-sale-avengers-endgame-spiderman-1202700493/
Added to that, another fact: as the giant Georgia movie facility developed its enviable resume of blockbuster films (and caused the creation of a “New Urbanist” development called Pinewood Forest), a good set of below the line firms have made Atlanta home, building a good movie industry service infrastructure. Casting agencies, catering companies, crew equipment providers, and many more businesses have sprouted up in Fayetteville since 2013, and a number of them expanded from California.
Star Wars Production Fades, Pinewood Shepperton Studios Expansion Starts, Demand For Space Lessens
The number one factor that gave rise to the need for what became Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia was the Disney-owned Star Wars franchise plans to make the movies shorthandedly called “Star Wars Episode 7, 8, and 9”. In 2012, Pinewood planned to expand its historic Shepperton Studios (home of James Bond) but the town council of Shepperton twice blocked efforts over reasons that Pinewood’s chairman, Lord Grade, former BBC and ITV chief, called irrational and depressing.
In 2013, Lord Grade said “I am very disappointed we could only convince four of the 10 [council members] that voted, that it is important to create jobs and invest in the creative industries. “It was depressing listening to the irrational, rather emotional reason for blocking it. It was not based on fact. The world is crying out for jobs and investment and we hand it to them on a plate. We will consult our lawyers but I’d be very surprised if we didn’t appeal.” They did, and were blocked, yet again.
The frustration, combined with what was an emergency need for space, else Pinewood would lose the coveted Star Wars movie production business Disney offered, caused Pinewood to look world wide for an answer. Lord Grade’s staff found it, in part, in Georgia, in a studio partnership with River’s Rock, an independently managed trust of the Cathy family: Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia was born. Now, six years and many successful Marvel movies later, Pinewood plans to walk away.
The once stalled efforts to expand Pinewood Shepperton Studios gave way to approval by the town council earlier this year. But, with the Star Wars movies finished, space demand has lessened, allowing Disney the opportunity to shift production of its “Phase 4” and “Phase 5” movies to the UK and to California, rather than Georgia. But the unique movie city that is Pinewood Studios Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia means that even some of Disney and Marvel’s production will remain: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 and Falcon and The Winter Soldier, are set to be made in Fayetteville. And here comes DC Entertainment and The Suicide Squad.
Stay tuned.