Fremantle film studio: Arts Minister David Templeman denies $100m election promise a ‘white elephant’

WA’s Arts Minister has denied a proposed $100 million film and TV studio will be a white elephant, despite it being unlikely to be finished while the current COVID-19-fuelled Hollywood production boom is still in effect. “Fremantle as a site, for example, is already renowned as a creative hub, so I think the location is perfect, and the location will mean we can market to the world a safe place to come and film, and we have access, of course, in Western Australia, to ... remarkable landscapes,” David Templeman told The West Live today. Marvel Studios is reportedly considering relocating its film and TV production to Sydney’s Fox Studios for the next five years to escape the pandemic, after parent company Disney took ownership of the facility in 2019 with the acquisition of 20th Century Fox. New Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel movies are expected to join Taika Waititi’s Thor sequel, starring Chris Hemsworth, as big-budget Marvel blockbusters that will be made in Australia in the near future. Mr Templeman said, contingent on the McGowan Government winning re-election, the Fremantle facility would be up and running as soon as is “practicable”. “Obviously, we have to make sure we have a management model in place but we’re hoping that in 18 months we can have construction commencing,” the Minister said. Labor’s film studio concept has been developed by a consortium that includes Hesperia, a firm headed by two of Perth’s leading developers, Adrian Fini and Ben Lisle. The project would be the catalyst for a wider redevelopment of the Victoria Quay precinct, with the plan also including hospitality venues. The studios would contain a number of large, sound-resistant stages, as well other facilities such as offices, construction space, parking and set storage. Its construction was expected to create 580 jobs, with about 2800 film production and precinct hospitality jobs supported each year in the longer term.