Jobs up for grabs as Netflix puts Northern Ireland in the picture

Netflix
Author: Nigel GouldPublished 25th Jan 2021
Last updated 25th Jan 2021

By Sarah McKinley

Netflix’s first movie with the bulk of filming done in Northern Ireland has been hailed as a ‘landmark moment’.

As many as 350 jobs could be created as a spell-binding fantasy is to be filmed in the Titanic Quarter of Belfast.

The largest global streaming service, Netflix, is to start producing 'The School for Good and Evil' here as soon as possible.

The movie is based on a book series by Somain Chainani, which follows a group of girls and boys who are taken to an institution and trained to become fairy tale-like heroes and villains.

Netflix will utilise the full 125,000 sqare foot of studio, workshop and office space in Belfast Harbour Studios in Titanic Quarter, for what will be its first film where the bulk of the production will be shot in Northern Ireland.

It’ll be directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Ghostbusters, Spy) and produced by Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Paul Feig, Jane Startz and Laura Fischer.

David Dobbin, who’s Chairman of Belfast Harbour, said it’s a ‘great boost’ for the industry locally.

“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.”