London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Pinewood owner eyes blockbuster sequel with ownership shift

Pinewood owner eyes blockbuster sequel with ownership shift

Some of the world's biggest sovereign wealth and pension funds are injecting capital into a new vehicle that will own the most famous name in global film production.
The owner of Pinewood Group, the most famous studio name in global movie-making, is transferring the company's ownership to a new vehicle backed by some of the world's biggest sovereign investors.

Sky News has learnt that Aermont Capital, which bought Pinewood in 2016, will announce the move to bondholders on Wednesday.

The new corporate vehicle, which has been established for the purpose of owning and expanding Pinewood, will be managed by Aermont, a real estate-focused investment firm.

City sources said the move would generate hundreds of millions of pounds of additional funding to continue Pinewood's breakneck expansion of recent years.

The deal is expected to provide a further fillip to sites where the original Superman movies starring Christopher Reeve, Gladiator, 2001: A Space Odyssey and many of the James Bond franchise's films were shot and produced.

As an often-stuttering publicly quoted company, Pinewood faced repeated questions about its ability to attract the world's biggest studios and expand its presence at its Buckinghamshire base because of difficulties obtaining planning consent.

Since the company's takeover by Aermont six years ago, however, its earnings, valuation and attractiveness to Hollywood production giants such as Walt Disney, LucasFilm and Netflix have all soared.

Under Aermont's ownership, nearly £1bn is said to have been invested in the business, with the number of sound stages at Pinewood and Shepperton having doubled since 2016.

In total, 26 new sound stages have been built or are under construction, with planning permission in place for an additional 11.

Third-party investors in the new Pinewood ownership vehicle are understood to be reputable sovereign and state pension funds, although their identities were unclear on Tuesday evening.

The investment in the company in recent years has allowed it to benefit from the explosion in content production by traditional film studios and streaming services alike.

In 2019, Pinewood struck a long-term partnership deal with Netflix for it to produce TV series and feature films at Shepperton.

It has since brought in content producers such as Amazon, Disney and Marvel, the latter two of which are home to some of the best-known superheroes and children's stories in history.

An insider pointed out that Pinewood's growth during the last six years had enabled it to guarantee work for thousands of people working in the UK's creative industries.

"The new investment will enable the owners to further expand Pinewood and thus remain the home of British film, while further supporting the industry's growth in the UK," the insider added.

Pinewood's valuation under its new corporate ownership structure is unclear.

However, analysts said it would be many times the £323m that Aermont agreed to pay to take the company private.

Aermont declined to comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×