New film studios to create 3,000 jobs in Reading
America's Blackhall Studios is planning on building a Hollywood-style complex in Reading that could bring up to 3,000 jobs.
The production company that brought us blockbusters such as Venom, Jumanji and Godzilla is expecting the complex will cost around £150m.
Blackhall Studios - based in Atlanta, Georgia - said its first foray overseas and into the UK market would deliver "the largest purpose-built film studio and digital creative hub complex in the UK".
Chief executive Ryan Millsap said: "We are excited to be establishing a base in the UK.
"Blackhall is the global standard for entertainment production space and our US-based clients like Disney, Universal and Sony are all asking us to expand into the UK to meet their desire to create productions here.
"We are very excited about the prospect of investing in the UK creative industries as one of the most vibrant markets in the world."
The studios will be the third-largest in the UK and it will be located in the Thames Valley Science Park.
Blackhall aims to have the new complex up and running by 2022 but that is subject to planning consent being granted this year.
“The UK and the US are each other’s largest investors and this announcement demonstrates the strength of our trading relationship,” said Liz Truss, the international trade secretary.
“I look forward to negotiating and signing a new ambitious free trade agreement with the US, to ensure we can continue to deepen our trading relationship and grow our creative industries.”