Cinecittà Rolls Forward With Big Plans and Big Shoots

by

The powerful surge of Hollywood filmmaking is back with force on the renovated Cinecittà soundstages in Rome, as this legendary site undergoes a dramatic makeover to convert it into cutting-edge digital-era studio facilities.

Filming has concluded for the American sci-fi thriller “White Mars,” starring Luke Newton (“Bridgerton”) and Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”). Co-produced by XYZ Films and Singularity Ent., this project was filmed entirely at Cinecittà’s Theater 18, which boasts one of the world’s largest LED stages and has proven to be a valuable resource. On the other hand, preparations are underway for Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of Christ,” set to utilize Cinecitta’s expansive Studio 22 facility as its primary location this summer. Gibson had been considering various European studios for the sequel to his hit “The Passion of Christ,” which was previously filmed at Cinecittà over two decades ago. Gibson and his production company, Icon Prods., were enticed back to Rome by Cinecittà’s CEO, Manuela Cacciamani, who, in collaboration with line producer Marco Valerio Pugini, ensured that the studio’s 38,000-square-foot cutting-edge soundstage would be ready for use.

Ridley Scott has just moved production of “The Dog Stars” to Cinecitta, while Disney and Universal are preparing to film major productions at their studio lot in the near future.

According to Cacciamani, who has been managing Cinecittà since July 2024, there are three primary factors that contribute significantly to the operation of a studio of this scale: firstly, tax benefits; secondly, the efficiency aspects such as large soundstages, advanced technology, and skilled artists and artisans; and thirdly, the proficiency of line producers. These producers play a crucial role in persuading studios to invest, ultimately making a significant difference at the end of the day.

The 40% tax refund for international film and TV productions in Italy, without a maximum limit and offering cash back throughout production with the ability to lower costs as they are incurred, is now functioning at full capacity, according to Nicola Borrelli, head of the film department at Italy’s culture ministry. Previously, there were delays in reforming the credit, causing a slowdown in production; however, Borrelli emphasizes that “the financing window remains open and the system operates similarly to before, making our tax rebate one of the most appealing worldwide.

A couple of months back, Borrelli sat down with Gibson’s team in Rome to emphasize that the speculations about changes to Italy’s international incentive were “unfounded”, as he clarified.

Currently, Cacciamani is pushing forward with a six-year overhaul of Cinecittà, which began in April 2021 following the acquisition of a substantial loan from the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery fund by the government-owned facilities. As part of this project, Cinecittà is undergoing renovation and expansion to increase its production capacity more than twice over with approximately 25 soundstages, at least three of which are some of the largest in Europe.

A significant feature of Cinecittà’s revitalization is the addition of cutting-edge video and sound editing suites, equipped for tasks like dubbing and audio mixing, as well as labs for developing and restoring both 35mm and 16mm films.

Notably, Cinecitta’s post-production services have been selected for films not originally shot at the studios. These include the Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man” and Jacques Audiard’s film “Emilia Pérez.” Additionally, projects fully filmed there such as Roland Emmerich’s TV series “Those About to Die” and Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” have also been chosen.

According to Cacciamani, post-production is a source of great pride for us. He emphasizes that leading in this area significantly assists us in finalizing agreements on the commercial side.

Read More

2025-05-10 22:56