The City Of Toronto, lease holders of Filmport, North America's largest studio soundstage at 46,500 square feet, continues to reportedly shut out Ridley Scott's UK-based Pinewood Studios from gaining a foothold as a part-owner, because Toronto insists Filmport shoot 'Canadian stories, about Canadian people', as opposed to US service productions that Vancouver has become known for.
Meanwhile, as 20th Century Fox locks up British Columbia studio space, Universal eyes Toronto, following the success of Marvel's big-budget "The Incredible Hulk".
Set to lense on two stages at the mega-studio this February is "Warehouse 13", the Universal TV series that filmed its pilot in Toronto before receiving a first-season order.
The show follows FBI agents 'Myka' and 'Peter', who work at the government's 'Warehouse 13', housing artifacts and supernatural mysteries. The 'dramedy' is being produced for Sci Fi's Universal Cable Studios.
Universal's Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley, located in Toronto has also lined up a shooting schedule at both Filmport and Cinespace for a mid-March start.
Aside from Universal, the Ivan Reitman-produced indie feature "Chloe", starring Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson has now moved into Filmport, while Toronto director David "A History Of Violence" Cronenberg continues to lobby MGM to shoot The Matarese Circle at the mega-studio...
