Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios has now changed its name to Trilith Studios. The popular studio opened up in 2014, where Ant-Man was its first-ever production. Now, the studio aims to accommodate the entertainment industry in new and revolutionizing ways that stretch way beyond making a movie on a studio lot. The 935-acre master development is looking to incorporate vendor businesses, content and tech companies, sound stages and 60,000 square feet of “smart stages,” with virtual production technologies. In addition, there is the new residential portion of the studio, which aims to help people coming up in the entertainment industry.
A trilith, or tritholons, is what Stonehenge is made from, and the new Trilith Studios name is a nod to its previous U.K. roots. Pinewood in the U.K. recently sold its shares back to the Atlanta-based partners. Movie history has already been made at the Atlanta location, thanks to the success of Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which is currently the highest grossing movie of all time. Frank Patterson, president and CEO of Trilith Studios LLC, had this to say about the rebranding.
“A trilith is an appropriate symbol for our new identity as it represents a nod to our U.K. history while serving as a metaphor for the three pillars of our vision. The new Trilith Studios brand signals to the entertainment industry our expansion from a facilities business to an ecosystem intentionally built for the creative industries.”
Like all other major Hollywood studios, Pinewood at to shut down at the beginning of the year, due to the public health crisis. However, Frank Patterson was left determined to make sure that they could open up safer and better than ever before. “We asked ourselves how we could became the safest production facility possible and so we became experts in microbial reduction,” he noted. “Our shops had to be the absolute safest. We were able to reopen in June.” The newly named Trilith Studios includes the massive main studios, “vendor businesses, custom homes and micro-villages, chef-driven restaurants and schools – all aimed at servicing the film and creative industries.” Investments in tech companies were made at the beginning of the year to make sure that Trilith will be state of the art.
The residential neighborhoods at Trilith will be comprised of the “largest geothermal community in the U.S., with 51% of the development dedicated to green space.” Residents have access to 15 miles of nature trails, 54 acres of forest, and 19 landscaped parks, which even included a dog park. “We are excited about making a spectacular gathering place where professionals in the creative industries – and anyone who appreciates storytelling and innovation – will feel inspired and at home,” says Frank Patterson.
A K-12 micro school will also be built. The school will have a focus on the arts as Trilith Studios tries to make some serious changes to the entertainment business. As of now, about 150 homes have been sold on the compound, with around 400 people living there. The goal is to have 5,000 people living on the premises. Variety was one of the first outlets to report on the Pinewood Studios rebranding.
