Watford: The new Hollywood

Since Philosopher’s Stone wrapped March 2001, Leavesden Studios have evolved into an ever-expanding filmmaking hub behind new blockbuster, Mickey 17.

When Stephen Giles-Medhurst joined Three Rivers District Council 25 years ago, he would never have imagined that Leavesden’s old 1940s aerodrome hangars would mean he would be sitting in the same restaurant as Margot Robbie or that he would watch Tom Cruise battle alien invaders.

While the UK rapidly develops into the second-largest film production hub globally, Hollywood crumbles. Many creatives have exchanged Los Angeles’ glitz and glamour for film studios in mundane London suburbs. One of those reaping the rewards is Warner Bros. (WB) Studios Leavesden in Watford. With the studio’s latest blockbuster, Mickey 17, on the horizon this spring, how did Leavesden become the new Hollywood?

The UK has a long history of hosting major US productions, including Star Wars at Elstree. Despite Leavesden being a Rolls Royce factory during the 1970s, many credit the rise of the UK film industry to 24 years ago this month when Philosopher’s Stone wrapped, launching a £20m eight-film franchise.

Giles-Medhurst said: “WB’s Dan Dark, now WB Burbank’s senior CEO, was finding a filming location for Harry Potter.

“The site was ideal because the runway served as the backlot, elevated above the surrounding land. This made it perfect for greenscreen work, with no buildings or skyscrapers in the background.”

On the Wizarding World’s effect, the British Film Commission’s Tim Reynard explained: “Harry Potter demonstrated to studios like Warner Bros. that it’s in their best interests to bring productions to the UK.

“Leavesden Studios established a new blueprint, creating a campus-like environment that closely resembles Burbank in Hollywood. This differs from Pinewood’s more industrial, warehouse district.”

Harry Potter helped shift film production from LA to London, but tax credit incentives catalysed the move. The 2007 film tax relief offered productions 25% on qualifying expenses, while last year’s spring budget increased this to 40% and further incentivised visual effects.

Reynard said: “I’m not a Tory, but you have to credit them for the best tax credits globally. The new visual effects tax relief offers an extra 5% back, which will attract even more studios.

“Burbank’s only 30% occupied, but the UK’s incredibly busy this year. Major productions are struggling to find space!.”

Inward investment films (IIFs) are feature films predominantly financed and controlled from outside the UK. According to the latest BFI statistics, £1.6 billion of the £1.8 billion spent on UK film production (89%) was on IIFs. The 2024 box office proves the value of investment: Pinewood’s Deadpool & Wolverine became the top R-rated film ever. Leavesden’s Beetlejuice, meanwhile, ranked No. 5 domestically and No. 10 globally.

In the LA area, only 5,048 “shoot days” were recorded in the three-month period ending September 30, according to new FilmLA data. That’s down from 5,311 in the same period of 2023 when numerous productions were paused following the US SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced a proposal to expand California’s tax credit program from $330 million to $750 million.

That said, Reynard confirmed: “Pinewood’s expansion means the UK will have the highest amount of square footage of studio space in the world, including Hollywood. No sensible person’s going to think, ‘Right, Hollywood’s the place to invest right now’. It’s difficult to see it recovering.”

LA ended 2024 with America’s second-largest homeless population (75,000), according to the Homeless Services Authority, and saw devastating wildfires commence 2025. As Tinseltown faces societal, ecological, and industrial challenges, Giles-Medhurst highlighted WB’s community improvements since acquiring the site twelve years ago.

“WB transformed a tired agricultural field into Gypsy Lane Park, bio-diversifying the area and adding beautiful water features. The studio’s also involved in tree planting and charity work.”

The council leader emphasised the studio’s impact on employment, noting: “If you mapped where WB’s employees live, 80% would be within a five-mile radius.” WB projects a £360 million contribution in ‘Gross Value Added’ before the end of the year.

Rico Johnson-Sinclair is training and skills director for WB; he described the magic of Leavesden Studios.

“From the outside, it’s just empty aeroplane hangars, but the magic is inside.

“Understanding how everything is interconnected and how we work together is the beauty of Leavesden. You’re in the thick of it, witnessing productions, set builds, and the buzz as films wrap and post-production begins. It’s a special place.”

British film studios are experiencing an unprecedented demand, and in 2022 ScreenSkills identified a need for an additional 20,000 jobs by 2025. To meet this, Johnson-Sinclair leads Leavesden’s landmark Crew HQ initiative.

“Crew HQ is for below-the-line crew, so not directors, producers, or on-screen talent; everyone else from the camera department to set decoration—we look after all their training.

“If WB wants to keep production levels high, we have to invest in training to avoid the degradation of skills,” he explained.

As Leavesden expands with 10 new sound stages and another 400,000 square feet of production space, boosting capacity more than 50%, 4,000 jobs will be created.

For Reynard, the expansion indicates the confidence WB have in Leavesden and the UK film industry generally: “There’s no way investors would commit to such a gigantic expansion if they didn’t believe Britain’s going to be the heart of the film industry for the next few years.”

So, is Watford the new Hollywood?

“We’ve got Elstree, Pinewood down the road, so this sector around London feels like mini-Hollywood,” said Giles-Medhurst.

Reynard was on the fence: “The main talent and studio bases are still in Hollywood. Do I think we will be the prime film location for the next 5-10 years? Yes.”

However, Johnson-Sinclair concluded: “Leavesden outdoes US studios. With free gyms, well-being rooms, barbers, and masons, studio head Emily [Stillman] has built a studio that values people and product. Leavesden offers something fresh and better.”