Netflix’s THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL to film at Belfast Harbour Studios
Date Posted: January 25, 2021
Belfast Harbour and Northern Ireland Screen have announced that the world’s leading streaming entertainment service Netflix is to commence immediate production on a new film at Belfast Harbour Studios. The production will adhere to the strictest COVID guidelines and follow the British Film Commission safe working protocols.
Netflix will utilise the full 125,000 sq ft of studio, workshop and office space in Belfast Harbour Studios for what will be its first film where the bulk of the production will be shot in Northern Ireland.
Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Ghostbusters, Spy) and produced by Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Paul Feig, Jane Startz and Laura Fischer, The School For Good and Evil is based on a best-selling series of young adult fantasy novels by Soman Chainani and follows a group of girls and boys who are taken to an institution and trained to become fairy tale-like heroes and villains.
David Dobbin, Chairman of Belfast Harbour, said: “Today’s landmark announcement is a great boost for the growing creative industry sector in Northern Ireland and we are delighted to welcome Netflix to Belfast Harbour Studios for the first time. As part of Belfast Harbour’s strategy to develop a key economic hub for the region, our £20m investment in state-of-the-art facilities at Belfast Harbour Studios continues to attract high quality global productions such as this. We have recently secured planning approval for a major extension to our studios and this news reinforces our confidence that high quality studio space will continue to be in demand due to the ever-increasing requirement to provide viewers with fresh new content.”
Richard Williams, CEO of Northern Ireland Screen, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Paul Feig to Northern Ireland to film The School for Good and Evil. Paul’s illustrious career speaks for itself; he has been the creative driving force behind many critically acclaimed film and TV projects over the past two decades. Netflix is the world’s largest subscription streaming service with millions of subscribers worldwide and an outstanding track record for offering very high quality, original programming. For another global player like this to choose Belfast as its base is a great start to the new year, and a real vote of confidence in Northern Ireland’s screen industry and further cements our reputation as a leading centre for film and television production.”
Paul Feig, Director of The School for Good and Evil, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to get to shoot The School for Good and Evil at Belfast Harbour. This is a challenging film to mount and their facilities offer us everything we need and so much more for a production of this size. They have also been wonderful to work with and we can’t thank them and Northern Ireland Screen enough for all their support and enthusiasm. They’ve been all Good and no Evil!”
