‘Game Of Thrones’: How Will Brexit Impact Funding For HBO Series Filmed In the UK?
Will the UK’s vote to leave the European Union affect one of the biggest American series, Game of Thrones?
The fantasy drama’s primary filming location is Northern Ireland — which, being part of the UK, also is set to depart the EU — with additional shooting done in Spain, Croatia and Malta as well as Iceland and Morocco.
The Northern Ireland-based production is being funded by NI Screen and Invest NI and also is enrolled in the UK Film and TV Tax incentives program, which is not impacted by the Brexit vote and some expect to even grow outside of the EU. For the first several seasons, the series also received money from the European Regional Development Fund — created to spur economic growth across the EU — which would’ve been affected by the Leave vote, but I hear that GoT stopped receiving subsidies through that fund one or two seasons ago. So the filming incentives GoT currently receives should remain in place. There is also no immediate impact expected for Starz’s drama Outlander, which is filmed in Scotland.
“We do not anticipate that the result of the EU Referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing Game Of Thrones,” HBO said in a statement.
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NI Screen also confirmed this morning that its funding will stay in place following the Brexit vote.
“This statement is to confirm that Northern Ireland Screen’s production funding comes from the Northern Ireland Executive through Invest NI and does not use monies provided from European funded programmes,” the organization wrote. “We look forward to business as usual.”
According to Northern Ireland officials, GoT received £9.25 million in grants for the first three seasons, generating £65 million in economic impact.
Game Of Thrones is based in Belfast with filming in the Titanic Studios and at locations across Northern Ireland including the North Coast, Tollymore Forest Park, Castle Ward and the banks of the Quoile in Downpatrick.
The bulk of the series already has been produced. Season 6 is ending its run on HBO this Sunday, with two likely shorter final seasons — rumored to be seven and six episodes each — remaining.
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