Introducing Friends of Marlow Film Studios 🎬✨
If you’re excited about the future of British filmmaking and keen to follow Marlow Film Studios' journey, we'd love you to join our new Facebook Group.
This group will be a community hub for those who interested in Marlow Film Studios' plans and who support our ambitions to make Buckinghamshire the centre of the world's film industry. The hub is for people who work in the sector as well as for those who live in Bucks and who believe in growth, skilled jobs and an exciting and prosperous future for our county.
We’ll update you on the progress of the planning application, what's on in Buckinghamshire's creative scene and keep you informed of initiatives and developments in the British film and TV sector. 🌟Become part of the journey - link to join in our bio - and be among the first to help build this community!
A spokesperson for Marlow Film Studios said: "We welcome the Secretary of State's announcement that the decision on Marlow Film Studios will be made at a ministerial level. This is a project of national importance. The UK’s film and TV industry leads the world. It already attracts over £3bn of international investment each year, over three times the annual FDI for life sciences.
“This success is based on a bedrock of extraordinary British creative talent, and the UK needs to be best placed to maintain its leading position. If approved, Marlow Film Studios will strengthen the long-term foundations for the industry. The high technology studio campus we would deliver will meet the needs of global investors and production companies, preparing the UK for the next half-century of British filmmaking.
“Our engagement with this process will be attentive, thorough and constructive and will leave no doubt as to the significant contribution the project will make to the UK economy. We will also continue to collaborate with local communities, confident of the benefits that our project will bring, in terms of investment, improved infrastructure, 4,000 new jobs, and unparalleled opportunities for skills, training and education.”
It’s inspiring to see the continued growth and ambition of regional film festivals like Fisheye 2026, bringing together filmmakers, audiences and creative talent in new and meaningful ways. The festival opened with the launch of the Futures Filmmaking Challenge, set to take place in 2027, demonstrating how events like this can go beyond showcasing work to actively shaping the next generation of storytellers.
In addition, this year’s festival marked an exciting step forward, successfully activating a new venue at the Brunel Engine Shed and expanding its programme across documentary, narrative and experimental film. The Fisheye Fusion strand, blending film with costume design, poetry and live performance, is a powerful example of how storytelling thrives when disciplines come together.
The international reach is equally encouraging, with filmmakers travelling from across Europe, the USA and beyond, alongside a strong showing from emerging local talent and students. The involvement of BNU students across design, marketing and production also highlights the importance of creating real, hands-on pathways into the industry.
We’re passionate about supporting exactly this kind of creative ecosystem, where talent is nurtured, collaboration is encouraged and new voices are given a platform to grow. Congratulations to Mariko and the entire Fisheye team on a hugely successful and forward-looking edition.
✨ The Marlow Edit
3 things that caught our eye:
ONE
The BBFC’s use of AI to classify content for platforms marks a shift in how the industry is adapting to the scale and speed of modern storytelling. Technology is playing an increasingly important role in supporting global distribution, while still retaining the essential role of human judgement.
For us, this evolution is highly relevant. As production volumes grow and streaming platforms expand, the infrastructure surrounding content classification, compliance and accessibility must evolve alongside it. The BBFC’s approach shows how innovation can unlock faster routes to audiences, ensuring that high-quality productions can move seamlessly across international markets. It also reinforces that creative industries are not just about making content, but building a future-ready ecosystem around it.
TWO
Val Kilmer’s AI-assisted return highlights how innovation is opening up new ways for performances to be preserved and experienced. His daughter defended the use of AI to recreate her late father’s voice and likeness, saying it reflects his long-standing interest in innovation and storytelling rather than exploiting his legacy. She also stressed that the family was involved and that the project was approached with care, honouring his artistic spirit while allowing audiences to experience his presence in a new way.
His digitally recreated likeness appears in As Deep as the Grave, a historical drama unveiled at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where Kilmer plays Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist.
THREE
Evita, starring Rachel Zegler, is set to arrive on Broadway in 2027, following a critically acclaimed West End run in London directed by Jamie Lloyd.
Productions like Evita demonstrate how cultural excellence and economic opportunity go hand in hand. For us, this international transfer highlights the importance of investing in talent, production infrastructure and storytelling moments that allow work developed in the UK to resonate with audiences. Image: "Rachelzegler (cropped)" by Brutallygolden is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie has been appointed as the next co-chair of the Creative Industries Council.
The council acts as a forum for opening dialogue between industry and the government, aiming to give the creative sector a clearer voice for advocacy. Davie will lead the council alongside co-chairs Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Business Secretary Peter Kyle, with a focus on ‘Sector Plan priorities’, relating to innovation, financial access, workforce, trade and investment.
“It is a privilege to be asked to Chair the Creative Industries Council and champion a sector that’s a world-class success story for the UK,” Davie, incoming
chair of the Creative Industries Council, said.
“With the right backing, there’s a huge opportunity for our creative industries to deliver not only significant growth for the UK economy in the years ahead, but good growth that supports jobs and skills in every part of the country...I look forward to working with the government to ensure that this sector will continue to punch well above its weight for the UK.”
Source: SW Londoner
Image "Tim Davie (5095813751)" by James Cridland is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
☕🎬 Happy National Tea Day!
There’s something uniquely comforting about sitting down with a great film or programme and a perfectly brewed cup of tea. Whether it’s a thought-provoking documentary, a gripping drama or something a little more light-hearted, these moments of pause and connection are what storytelling is all about.
So, get the kettle on… what are you watching today?
We are proud of our location in one of the most beautiful parts of England and intend to honour this.
The Studios will provide cycle and walking paths from Marlow and invest significantly in Westhorpe Junction on the A404, improving safety and traffic flow into the Studios. It will provide two new fully-funded bus services, linking High Wycombe and Marlow to the new Elizabeth Line. Our plans offer a 20% uplift in biodiversity, with 80% of trees on and around the site to be retained, plus the planting of 600 new trees and improvements in aquatic habitats. A quarter of the Studio site itself will be available for public enjoyment and wildlife, providing parkland for employees and residents alike.
Find out more about our plans on our website. (marlow.film).
Marlow Studios is a ‘createch’ business, driving innovation through technology in the creative arts.
In the UK alone this sector is expected to generate £18 billion in gross value added (GVA) and 160,000 jobs in the next decade, from AI and robotics to Extended Reality (XR).
AI could add £550bn to UK GDP by 2035. Marlow Studios will be an exemplar of high quality, creative British design, transforming a former landfilled gravel pit into a state-of-the-art creative campus. Masterplanner Jason Prior of Prior & Partners, known for the London 2012 Olympic Park, worked alongside double Stirling Prize-winning architects Wilkinson Eyre to create a campus that will be an inspiring place to work, collaborate and create.
Source: Film LA Research Eighth Annual Sound Stage Production Report (March 2026).
The UK film and high-end TV sector is one of the UK’s great success stories. In 2024, 86% of UK film and HETV production spend was funded through inward investment. Its continuing success is due to its supportive tax structures and to the strong pipeline of British creative talent. But its future also depends on the quality of our studio and creative space. The UK increasingly lacks the quality of creative space that international production companies demand. Technology is introducing a whole new world of immersive and interactive experiences. Marlow sets out to meet this new need. Marlow Studios’ represents more than £1bn gross development value (GDV) of purpose-built cultural infrastructure, which will ensure the UK retains its world leading position by providing high-grade studio and innovation space. Marlow Studios will generate £3.5bn of social value spending in its first decade, two thirds of this in the wider economy through the goods and services needed and spillover benefits. 75% of the UK’s film and TV economy and employment is centred on the West London cluster. Marlow Studios will generate around 4,000 jobs in the creative sector and the wider economy, supporting local jobs and national growth.
Source: Film LA Research Eighth Annual Sound Stage Production Report (March 2026).
We are excited to announce that we have officially opened our new headquarters at Marlow International. The new base for the Studios at Marlow International, Buckinghamshire, is adjacent to the site of the future main studio buildings, due to start construction this year. The site will include 18 world-class soundstages, flexible workspaces, innovation space and a culture and skills academy to support the next generation of creative talent.
Our new headquarters marks the official start of operations at our long-term home in Marlow and is a key milestone as the project progresses from the planning stage to construction. This new base will provide a hub for our Studios’ leadership and operational teams as we drive forward plans to turn the vision for Europe's first purpose-built media, technology and creative campus into a reality.
This is a major milestone for us as we begin to implement the planning consent as granted by Government at the end of last year. This transformative project will generate over 4,000 jobs, billions of pounds of local investment and a multi-generational asset creating countless opportunities for the community. The planned Studios are a celebration of the region’s talent and creativity and will cement Marlow’s place as a global hub of film, TV and technology for generations to come. Marlow International is the perfect base from which to drive this mission forward, with our roots firmly in the local community that will benefit most from the growth to come. A number of further announcements will be made over 2026 and beyond, so stay tuned! ✨
Photo credit: @neilmarshment
Award season is in full swing. With the BAFTAs having taken place at the end of February, we look ahead to the creme-de-le-creme, the 2026 Oscars which take place this Sunday the 15th March.
Sinners, Marty Supreme, Hamnet, Sentimental Value, One Battle After Another and Frankenstein are a few of the films leading the way this year. You can watch live across ITV1, ITVX, STV, STV Player, with the ceremony starting at 12am, so get those midnight snacks at the ready and enjoy the show!
Head to the BBC News Pages for this year list of nominees.
Last week was International Women’s Day, an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary women shaping the future of film and television. From leadership and production to technical and craft roles behind the camera. The UK screen sector is growing rapidly but representation across directing, cinematography, VFX, sound, construction and senior leadership still has room to improve. If we want a truly world-class industry, it must reflect the full breadth of talent in our communities.
Clear technical pathways for everyone from an early age post-16 choices, visible role models and real industry exposure can make a lasting difference. As new studio infrastructure develops, there is a real opportunity to help rebalance representation by embedding access, partnerships and inclusive pathways into the foundations of growth. At Marlow Studios, we believe opportunity should grow alongside the industry itself. Empowering the next generation of women in film and TV strengthens the creative sector as a whole.
