Written by Kianna Best on Nov 24, 2023. Posted in Production News

New York screen sector springs back into action

Following the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, New York City’s film and television industry has stepped back into action. With a visit from the mayor on Wednesday to  East End Studios, currently in construction, the slew of late night talk shows returning to their usual spots, and other dramatised projects in production, New York city is positioning itself for business as usual.

Image courtesy of Robert Bye by Unsplash

East End Studios, located in Sunnyside, Queens started construction this week, welcoming a visit from the city’s mayor Eric Adams to the site. Measuring in at 340,000 square feet, the studios will feature 3 sound stages and 15,000 square f00t rooftop flex stage with views of Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The site will also include 125,000 square feet of production, office and mill space, and fully integrated virtual reality and extended reality infrastructure, including a virtual stage and high speed fibre connectivity. Coming in at a cost of USD 275 million, the studio is set for completion in 2025.

In addition to East Side Studios, and Manhattan’s 266,000 sq ft Sunset Pier 94 Studios, productions have begun gravitating back to New York City’s on location filming potential. DC’s The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell as the titular character, has restarted filming following the effects of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. From the mind of filmmaker Matt Reeves, the series will hone in on Ferrell’s iteration of the character from Warner Bros.’ The Batman, as he begins to take the reigns of crime in Gotham City.

Reeves will serve as executive producer on the project, following his success on the 2022 The Batman release, and the planned 2025 sequel. He will be joined by production partner Dylan Clark. Acting as showrunner and writing for the series, is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Chuck writer Lauren LeFranc. The first two episodes will be helmed by Mare of Easttown director.