Star Wars 8 will be filmed at Pinewood Studios, George Osborne confirms in time for May 4
May the Fourth Be With the UK's creative industries
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Your support makes all the difference.As the political PR machine goes into overdrive, George Osborne has used Star Wars Day as an opportune moment to announce some good news for the British film industry.
To mark the annual 4 May celebration of Star Wars (“May the Fourth Be With You”), Osborne has confirmed Star Wars VIII will be filmed in Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.
The latest Star Wars sequel, The Force Awakens, finished filming in Pinewood Studios last year, with the first Star Wars spin-off directed by Godzilla’s Gareth Edwards due to start filming at the UK studios soon.
But Osborne’s announcement will come as no surprise to Star Wars buffs and industry experts.
In November, Pinewood CEO Ivan Dunleavy hinted that Star Wars VIII would be filmed in the UK.
“The seventh Star Wars movie just finished shooting at Pinewood. And I’m delighted to be able to tell you that a new Star Wars movie is already booked in,” he said.
Osborne’s bid to look engaged with popular culture also strikes at the heart of the Conservative Party’s “Long-Term Economic Plan”.
The value of film production in the UK rose by 14 per cent to more than £1bn last year, which included foreign investment of £870m.
Hollywood blockbusters recently filmed in the UK include Edge of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise and David Ayer’s Fury starring Brad Pitt.
The latest James Bond film, Spectre, is also currently being filmed at Pinewood Studios.
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