Pinewood Makes The Grade

The Rank Group has finalized a deal to sell off Pinewood studios, just one day after announcing it would be selling its Odeon cinema chain to Cinven, the owners of ABC cinemas.A consortium headed by former Channel 4 boss Michael Grade splashed out £62 million to buy Britain's biggest studio - £12 million more than the group was expected to sign a check for. It marks Rank's complete exit from the film industry.Pinewood was built by J Arthur Rank in the 1930s and was a favorite location for Charlie Chaplin and FranÁois Truffaut. In recent years many of the ""James Bond"" and ""Carry On"" films were shot there.The studio is now a big favorite with Hollywood producers. Last year both ""Entrapment"" and ""Eyes Wide Shut"" were filmed there, and rumors are currently circulating that Pinewood has been booked for three months later this year to shoot the sequels to ""The Matrix.""

Source: Popcorn (UK)