Pinewood Studios—the storied British production campus behind iconic franchises like James Bond and Star Wars—has submitted revised plans for a major $1.27 billion (GBP £1 billion) expansion aimed at reshaping its future amid a cooling global content market.

Filed with Buckinghamshire Council, the updated proposal includes a 592,000-square-foot state-of-the-art data center, a 60-acre nature reserve, a six-acre community garden and learning space, and additional film production infrastructure. While the original 2023 approval called for 21 new soundstages, Pinewood has not yet confirmed how many stages will be included under the revised plan.

“Our proposed plan for a data centre on the land to the south of Pinewood Studios is in alignment with the critical infrastructure needs identified by the government,” said Pinewood Group CEO David Conway. “The significant investment will bring jobs and additional benefits to the local community with the delivery of a nature reserve, community gardens and learning space.”

Founded in 1936, Pinewood Studios has been the production home to some of the world’s biggest film and television projects. Recent hits filmed there include No Time To Die, The Batman, and The Crown.

The pivot toward a mixed-use development strategy comes in response to broader industry shifts. “A reduction in global film and high-end television production has triggered a review of our existing planning consent,” the company noted, referencing a market slowdown that’s caused studios and streamers to re-evaluate expansion timelines.

Still, Pinewood’s new investment reflects confidence in long-term demand for premium studio infrastructure—particularly as virtual production, real-time rendering, and data-driven workflows reshape the way films and series are made. The inclusion of a next-gen data center is seen as a strategic move to future-proof the campus and support both on-set and remote postproduction needs.

Renderings released by the studio depict a lush garden filled with walkways, foliage, and community spaces—a nod to the studio’s emphasis on integrating public value into its private investment.

Pending council approval, construction on the revised expansion would mark one of the largest single infrastructure projects in the UK film sector, reinforcing Pinewood’s role as a cornerstone of the international production ecosystem.