Netflix to produce new fantasy film in Northern Ireland

Netflix is to produce a new fantasy film in Northern Ireland.

The streaming entertainment service will shoot The School For Good And Evil at Belfast Harbour Studios.

It is based on a best-selling series of 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.

Director Paul Feig said: “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.”

Netflix will use the full 125,000 square feet 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.

The production will adhere to strict Covid-19 guidelines and follow the British Film Commission’s safe working protocols.

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 £20 million 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, chief executive of film development body Northern Ireland Screen, said Netflix is the world’s largest subscription streaming service with millions of subscribers worldwide and an outstanding track record for offering high quality and original programming.

He said: “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.”