Winnersh Film Studios enters administration after 2023 strikes

LDRS Winnersh film studiosLDRS
The studios are located at the Winnersh Triangle business Park

Film studios that have been a popular location for Hollywood blockbusters have gone into administration.

Winnersh Film Studios cited "cashflow problems" linked to the 2023 writers and actors strikes in the US as the culprit for its financial woes.

Consultancy firm Interpath Advisory has been appointed as administrator of Winnersh Film Studios Limited and its parent company Stage Fifty.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was partly filmed at the studios.

Interpath said the companies would "continue to run as normal" for now, with lenders saying they were "committed" to keeping the Berkshire-based studios running.

It is located at the Winnersh Triangle business park and already has two sound stages, with plans for another approved by Wokingham Borough Council last year.

PA Media (lef-right) Ernie Hudson, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Gil Kenan during a photo call for the cast of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, at Claridges, LondonPA Media
The new Ghostbusters film Frozen Empire was partly filmed at the studios

But Interpath Advisory said the knock-on effect of the writers and actors strike in the US last year had caused cashflow problems.

This led to finance firm SCIO Capital, the senior secured lender to the studios, to bring in administrators.

It is not yet known if the move will affect plans to expand the film studios, or if operations will be scaled back.

Greg Branch from SCIO Capital said the investment firm wanted to "stabilise" the business so it could "move forward".

He said: "We remain fully committed to Stage Fifty's model and vision of creating high-quality, innovative spaces for television and film makers."

Interpath Advisory said other parts of the Stage Fifty group are not in administration and continue to trade as normal.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a 2024 American supernatural comedy film. It is the fifth film in the Ghostbusters franchise and stars some of the original cast members, including Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson and Dan Aykroyd.

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