{{Infobox building | name = Seren Stiwdios | former_names = Pinewood Studio Wales | image = Pinewood Studio Wales, Cardiff - Geograph-6306157-by-JThomas.jpg | caption = Pinewood Studio Wales in 2019 | address = Wentloog Avenue, Cardiff CF3 2GH | location = St Mellons, Cardiff, Wales, UK | opening_date = 12 January 2015 | owner = Welsh Government (2015–present) | operator = Pinewood Group (2015–2020)<br />Great Point (2020–present) | coordinates = {{coord|51|30|23.7|N|3|6|6.6|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | website = }} '''Seren Stiwdios''' (formerly '''Pinewood Studio Wales''') is a Welsh film and television studio in Cardiff, Wales. Founded in 2015, the studio complex was operated by the Pinewood Group until March 2020 when the company terminated its agreement with the Welsh government to manage the facility. It is currently leased and managed by Great Point Media.
==Studio history== The studio was announced in February 2014, after negotiations between Pinewood Group and the Welsh government resulted in an agreement for Pinewood to rent the site of the former Wentloog Environmental Centre in the suburb of St Mellons in north-east Cardiff, which the government had purchased for £5.24 million and spent £9.5 million fitting out.<ref name="rent">{{cite news |title=Film studio Pinewood Wales paid no rent for two years |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-41052929 |access-date=30 July 2022 |work=BBC News |date=29 August 2017}}</ref> Construction began in the second half of 2014, and the studio opened in January 2015.<ref name="opening">{{cite news|title=Pinewood: Studio behind Bond, Star Wars and Avengers enjoys record revenues|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/pinewood-studio-behind-bond-star-9553403|accessdate=4 January 2017|work=Wales Online|date=30 June 2015}}</ref>
In 2017, it emerged that Pinewood had not paid rent to the government for leasing the studio until January of that year. Economy minister Ken Skates told the Senedd that the two-year rent-free period was "consistent with market practice". Pinewood held a fifteen-year lease on the site, but the agreement had a five-year break clause, allowing the company to walk away in 2020.<ref name="rent" /> As of March 2019, Welsh production company Bad Wolf was the sole tenant of the studio facilities.<ref name="badwolf">{{cite news |title=Controversial Pinewood Wales studio rented out to Bad Wolf TV |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-47737494 |access-date=30 July 2022 |work=BBC News |date=28 March 2019}}</ref> In October 2019, Pinewood Group gave notice to the Welsh government that their agreement to run the studio would end on 31 March 2020 as permitted by the break clause.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pyke |first1=Chris |title=Pinewood is to pull out of Wales |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/economic-development/pinewood-pull-out-wales-17164508 |access-date=29 July 2022 |work=Business Live |date=29 October 2019 |language=en}}</ref> In October 2020, the studio was taken over by media investment firm Great Point, with the complex rebranded to Seren Stiwdios.<ref name="greatpoint">{{cite news |last1=Barry |first1=Sion |title=Former Pinewood Wales Studios taken over by Great Point |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/commercial-property/former-pinewood-wales-studios-taken-19035918 |access-date=29 July 2022 |work=Business Live |date=2 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
==Productions== The historical television series ''The Bastard Executioner'' was filmed on Stage 1 of the complex, and in other locations in Wales, and released in September 2015 on FX in the United States.<ref name="bastexec">{{cite news|title=Wales captures The Bastard Executioner in show of strength for TV industry|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/14/welsh-tv-industry-captures-bastard-executioner-show-of-strength|accessdate=4 January 2017|work=The Guardian|date=15 September 2015}}</ref>
Studio filming for the fourth series of the BBC drama ''Sherlock'' took place at the studios in 2016.<ref name="sherlock">{{cite news|title=Sherlock season 4 set to be filmed at Pinewood Studio Wales|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/sherlock-season-4-set-filmed-10874146|accessdate=4 January 2017|work=Wales Online|date=11 February 2016}}</ref>
A remake of the 1994 film ''The Crow'' was slated to be the first film to be shot at the studios in 2015,<ref name="thecrow">{{cite news|title=The Crow cult film remake at Pinewood Studios, Cardiff|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-31908280|accessdate=4 January 2017|work=BBC News|date=16 March 2015}}</ref> but production delays put the project on hold.<ref name="nocrow">{{cite news|title=The Crow does not fly but Welsh studio space in demand|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-34129722|accessdate=4 January 2017|work=BBC News|date=3 September 2015}}</ref>
Filming for the BBC Three series ''Class'' (a spin-off of ''Doctor Who'') took place here, excluding the corridor and hall scenes.<ref name="bbcwales">{{cite web|title=Wales on screen: BBC drama plans stronger than ever|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/wales-on-screen|publisher=BBC|accessdate=19 April 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20190411081147/https://www.pinewoodgroup.com/studios/pinewood-studio-wales Pinewood Studio Wales] ({{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526145111/https://www.pinewoodgroup.com/studios/pinewood-studio-wales|date=26 May 2019}})
{{The Pinewood Studios Group}}
{{film-studio-stub}} Category:2015 establishments in Wales Category:British film studios Category:British television studios Category:Buildings and structures in Cardiff Category:Cinema of Wales