Abu Dhabi could have its own production studio complex by 2025

The announcement is another feather in the emirate’s cap, with respect to its cinematic ambitions…

Cinephiles in the capital, we have more good news for you.

Abu Dhabi could have its own production studio complex by 2025. To be christened twofour54 studios, the ambitious initiative will take film production to the next level in the capital.

Image/video: Instagram

Salient features of the development include an area of 100 acres, 11 sound stages, an exterior water tank, six versatile standing sets, 75,000 sq. ft of office space, and post-production and screening rooms. In welcome news, the expansive new complex, which will also feature a future-proof, virtual production-ready, metaverse-enabled production studio, is expected to drive job growth and spur the local economy.

Most recently, twofour54 collaborated on the production of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, with flagship properties including Abu Dhabi Airports and Etihad Airways. The partnership even involved the construction of an Arabian village in the desert, and multiple sets at the new Midfield Terminal.

We often discuss the capital’s standing as a cultural heavyweight in the region. Hence, we’re happy to highlight that creative industries add to Abu Dhabi’s various big-ticket sectors, considering the social, economic and cultural value they generate.

With innumerable productions facilitated by twofour54 over the last 15 years, Abu Dhabi has become a location of choice for filmmakers, partially due to a generous 30% rebate structure introduced by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission in 2012. This has paved the way for the capital to be featured by some of Tinseltown’s heaviest hitters, with high-profile locations like the Emirates Palace Hotel, the Liwa Desert, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers and more being featured on the silver screen.

Prominent franchises that have filmed in the emirate include Sonic the Hedgehog, Fast and the Furious, Mission: Impossible and more, with the location also gaining immense popularity in the Indian film industry, with the emirate’s proximity to the subcontinent.

Paramount? Universal? Abu Dhabi is on its way to becoming both within the cinema sphere.