In a move aimed at reshaping the international studio landscape, Shadowbox Studios has announced a strategic partnership with Olivewood Studios, Jordan’s premier full-service film production facility. The deal marks a significant milestone in Shadowbox’s mission to bring its world-class operational and marketing expertise to rising global markets—starting with one of the MENA region’s most visually stunning and production-ready destinations.

Under the leadership of COO Mike Mosallam, Shadowbox is launching a new international initiative aimed at raising the bar for what filmmakers should expect from studio operating partners. Olivewood Studios will serve as the inaugural partner in this effort, acting as both a flagship site and proof of concept for Shadowbox’s expanding operations platform. With major complexes already in Atlanta and at Shinfield Studios in the UK, and a new project in development in Queensland, Australia, Shadowbox is assembling a portfolio of destination studios designed to meet the demands of high-end, globally mobile productions.

“After visiting Jordan late last year, my team and I were astonished by the breadth of available landscapes and the production service infrastructure already in place at Olivewood,” said Mosallam. “Now with the benefit of sound stages, the Kingdom is well-positioned to house and host domestic and international productions of any size.”

Completed in 2023, Olivewood Studios is the Hashemite Kingdom’s first purpose-built studio complex. Located in Amman, the facility includes two soundstages, expansive backlot areas, production offices, and full-service amenities. Crewed by local talent and supported by Jordan’s generous filming rebates, Olivewood offers direct access to some of the country’s most cinematic locations—from sweeping deserts to ancient ruins. The Royal Film Commission of Jordan has played a key role in developing the country’s international film profile, supporting major productions like Lawrence of Arabia, The Martian, Dune, and Aladdin.

“Our conversations with Shadowbox showed great synergies between both entities that quickly developed into this agreement,” said Raja Gargour, Chairman of Olivewood Studios. “Jordan has shown the world its incredible locations in films from Dune and Aladdin to The Martian and Star Wars, and through our exciting partnership with Shadowbox we are thrilled to expand our worldwide reach to international filmmakers.”

Olivewood’s General Manager Jumana Sharbin added, “Exchanging expertise with Shadowbox marks a pivotal step in our growth. We look forward to benefiting from their operational strength and industry insight as we scale up and deliver world-class productions in Jordan.”

The partnership is more than just symbolic—it’s part of Shadowbox’s larger operational thesis: build out a global network of high-performance studio facilities powered by best-in-class teams. Alongside state-of-the-art infrastructure, the company is also exporting its Backlot Academy, a training program designed to cultivate local crew bases and provide on-the-ground skills development in emerging markets.

“This new operations partnership is a key milestone in our global initiative to ensure that every production receives a top-tier experience, provided by an expert team,” Mosallam said. “We couldn’t be more excited to start that journey with Olivewood.”

As the streaming era accelerates demand for diverse international backdrops and scalable infrastructure, Jordan’s emergence as a serious player on the global production map represents a win for both regional storytelling and global production economics. With Shadowbox now in the mix, Olivewood has the backing to become a key hub for filmmakers seeking both authenticity and world-class support.

About Olivewood Studios

Olivewood Film Studios is Jordan’s only purpose-built production complex, offering sound stages, production offices, backlot areas, and support facilities in the heart of Amman. It stands as the cornerstone of the country’s growing film economy.

About Shadowbox Studios

Shadowbox Studios is a global studio operations platform with major campuses in Atlanta and the UK, and expansion underway in Australia. Backed by Commonwealth Asset Management and Silver Lake, Shadowbox delivers premium infrastructure and operations to the world’s top-tier film and television productions.