Earlier this summer during the Mediterrane Film Festival, Malta’s film commissioner Johann Grech teased plans for an ambitious new soundstage, dubbed the Land Sea Super Stage. Housed at Malta Film Studios, the facility could host major Hollywood blockbusters with blueprints that include a water tank and construction sturdy enough to hang two Black Hawk helicopters.
We want to create something unique,” Grech told The Hollywood Reporter in June. “To build the entire facility — in addition to the soundstage, there will be workshops, offices, production offices, warehouses, etc. — it will take two years. We have every detail in place. We just need to issue this public call.”
Grech is back with an update: The call has been made and Malta is now accepting proposals for investments to finance, build and operate the first-of-its-kind superstudio. Per the Malta Film Commission, the project would see more than €80 million in private investment in Malta’s film industry.
A rendering of Malta’s proposed Land Sea Super Stage.
Courtesy of Malta Film Studios
“Today’s launch marks the final piece of the jigsaw in creating a world-class film industry in Malta. We are committed to taking Malta’s film infrastructure to the next level,” Grech explains. “We have already seen major franchises such as Gladiator and Jurassic World repeatedly choose Malta for our versatile locations and our water tanks. We now want to complete Malta’s offer to the global film industry by developing a world-class studio facility that is truly unique.”
Grech has not been shy about the bid to lure more blockbusters to the country after hosting such high-profile productions in the past like Gladiator and its sequel, Napoleon, Captain Phillips, Troy, Munich, Assassin’s Creed, Murder on the Orient Express and Enola Holmes 3.
“By developing the world’s first Land-Sea Super Stage at the Malta Film Studios, we will strengthen our ability to attract more high-end, high-budget and high-value productions. Malta can become the home of some of the world’s biggest movies and film franchises,” added Grech. “I’ve always been ambitious for Malta’s film industry and now we are ready to reach even higher.”
Submissions are now open for a three-month period.