Shepperton Studios

Overview

Shepperton Studios is a film and high-end television production facility in Shepperton, Surrey, approximately 18 miles southwest of central London. The studio operates 31 purpose-built sound stages and 12 acres of backlot across a 1.5 million square foot site, making it the second largest film studio in the world. It is owned and operated by the Pinewood Group alongside its sister facility, Pinewood Studios.

The expansion completed in April 2024 added 17 new sound stages with 548,000 square feet of production and workshop space plus two backlots. Amazon MGM Studios occupies 9 of the new stages, and Netflix occupies 8 new stages in addition to its existing 14 leased stages on the original Shepperton site, giving Netflix a total of 22 stages at Shepperton. The Pinewood Group's FY26 revenue (year ending March 2026) reached £200.1 million from Global Studios operations, with the vast majority of studio space leased under long-term contracts.

The facility's proximity to London, combined with the UK's Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC), makes it a primary production base for both Hollywood tentpoles and British independent productions. The deep pool of experienced British crew based in London and the surrounding counties provides access to top-tier talent across all departments.

Facilities

Sound Stages

Shepperton operates 31 purpose-built sound stages across the site:

• The Maggie Smith Stage: 40,736 sq ft, 45 ft height. The largest sound stage on the lot, officially unveiled in 2026 by Toby Stephens and Christopher Larkin in honor of Dame Maggie Smith's contribution to film and her longstanding connection to Shepperton and Pinewood.
• Shepperton North stages: Multiple stages at approximately 30,000 sq ft with 45 ft grid height.
• Shepperton South stages: Including a 29,366 sq ft stage at 45 ft height.
• Shepperton North West stages: Including a 29,837 sq ft stage at 45 ft height.
• 17 expansion stages: New state-of-the-art stages delivered in the 2024 expansion, leased to Amazon MGM Studios and Netflix.

Backlot and External Space

• 12 acres of backlot with versatile outdoor filming areas
• Two additional backlots delivered as part of the 2024 expansion
• Built around an 18th-century manor house (Littleton Park)

Production Support

• Production offices, workshops, and costume/prop storage
• Post-production suites including dubbing and preview theatres
• Media hub and production support services
• Workshop buildings with canteens, crowd dressing, and art departments

Tenancy Structure

The majority of Shepperton's stages are leased under long-term contracts to Netflix (22 stages total) and Amazon MGM Studios (9 stages). This tenancy model provides the Pinewood Group with stable, index-linked rental income but means that independent productions must typically book through the Pinewood Group for any remaining available space, or coordinate with Netflix or Amazon for stage sub-letting arrangements.

UK Tax Relief for Productions at Shepperton

Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC)

Since 1 January 2024, the AVEC replaced the previous film and high-end TV tax reliefs. Productions shooting at Shepperton can claim:

• Standard rate: 34% of qualifying UK expenditure (net value approximately 25.5%) for feature films and high-end TV programmes. Qualifying expenditure is the lower of 80% of total core costs or actual UK core costs.
• Enhanced AVEC for independent films (IFTC): 53% of qualifying expenditure (net value approximately 39.75%) for films with budgets up to £23.5 million that meet the BFI UK creative practitioner test. Available for productions where principal photography began on or after 1 April 2024. Independent films may only claim relief on up to £15 million of core costs.
• Animated films: 39% of qualifying expenditure (net value approximately 29.25%).
• Enhanced VFX credit: From 1 April 2025, qualifying UK VFX costs on film and high-end TV productions receive a 39% rate (net value approximately 29.25%), and the 80% cap on qualifying expenditure is removed for UK VFX costs. This applies to expenditure incurred on or after 1 January 2025.

Minimum Qualification

At least 10% of core costs must relate to activities in the UK. Productions must obtain British certification from the BFI to qualify.

Transition Period

Productions where principal photography began before 1 April 2025 can claim under existing rules up to 31 March 2027. All productions must claim under AVEC from 1 April 2027.

History

The studio was founded in 1931 by Norman Loudon on the grounds of Littleton Park, a country estate. During World War II, the studio was used for war-related film production. After the war, Shepperton entered a productive period, hosting productions including The Third Man (1949), A Town Like Alice (1956), and Oliver! (1968).

Major productions from the 1970s onward include Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Gandhi (1982), A Fish Called Wanda (1988), Elizabeth (1998), Gladiator (2000), Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity (2013), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), 1917 (2019), and No Time to Die (2021).

The Pinewood Group acquired Shepperton Studios in 2001, integrating it into a combined operation that offers productions the choice of two major UK facilities. The expansion program that began in the late 2010s was driven by increasing demand from Hollywood studios seeking to produce in the UK, particularly after Netflix and Amazon MGM Studios committed to long-term tenancy agreements.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Booking Stages

Shepperton rents stages and facilities to productions on a commercial basis. However, with 31 stages predominantly leased to Netflix and Amazon MGM Studios under long-term contracts, availability for independent productions is limited. Independent filmmakers should:

• Contact the Pinewood Group directly for availability of any unleased stages or short-term booking windows
• Consider Pinewood Studios (the sister facility) as an alternative, which may have different availability
• Plan bookings well in advance, as the UK studio market operates near full capacity

Crew and Infrastructure

The London production ecosystem provides access to experienced crew across all departments. Shepperton's location in Surrey offers proximity to London's post-production houses, VFX facilities, and equipment rental companies while avoiding central London congestion charges.

Tax Relief Planning

For budgeting purposes, productions shooting at Shepperton should calculate the AVEC benefit early in the budgeting process. A standard feature film spending £20 million on UK qualifying expenditure at Shepperton would receive approximately £5.1 million in payable credit at the standard 34% rate (net 25.5%). An independent film qualifying for the enhanced IFTC rate at the same expenditure level would receive approximately £7.95 million (net 39.75%).

For VFX-heavy productions, the enhanced VFX credit (39%, no 80% cap) provides additional value. A production spending £5 million on UK VFX costs would receive approximately £1.46 million in credit at the enhanced rate, compared to approximately £1.27 million under the standard rate.

Notable Productions & Virtual Production

Shepperton Studios, part of the Pinewood Studios Group, has 31 sound stages and 12 acres of backlot space. A 500 million pound expansion completed in 2023 added 17 new stages, bringing the total to approximately 1.2 million square feet of stage space. The studio has hosted major productions including Bridgerton (Netflix), The Sandman (Netflix), and numerous Amazon and Apple productions. Recent and upcoming productions include Project Hail Mary (Ryan Gosling, Amazon), Enola Holmes 3 (Netflix), and Narnia: The Magician's Nephew (Greta Gerwig).

The studio features motion capture facilities, 3D scanning services, and the historic Littleton House, a 17th century manor available for location filming. The newly built Bridgerton Backlot provides a permanent exterior set for the popular Netflix series. Shepperton shares the same UK tax incentive structure as Pinewood: the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) at 25.5% for live-action films, and the Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) at 53% for qualifying independent films with budgets up to 15 million pounds.

Watch: Studio Tours & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how UK production incentives affect budgets, see Budget Breakdown for Independent Films. To model production costs across territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For official AVEC guidance and certification, visit GOV.UK AVEC guidance or the BFI certification page. For Shepperton's technical specifications, visit the Pinewood Group Shepperton page.