KUALA LUMPUR – Lucasfilm, the movie production company known for Star Wars and other visual effects heavy movies and shows, will be discontinuing its operations in Singapore within the coming months.
The decision, attributed to economic factors affecting the entertainment industry, was announced by Lucasfilm’s parent company, Disney.
Disney released a statement on Tuesday revealing that Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the iconic special effects house founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, will be streamlining its global presence and winding down its Singapore studio.
“Over the next several months, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) will be consolidating its global footprint and winding down its Singapore studio due to economic factors affecting the industry,” the entertainment giant said.
However, Disney did not disclose how many Singapore-based employees will be affected by this move.
Lucasfilm had originally expanded its operations into Singapore in 2006 through ILM.
The Sandcrawler building – named after an iconic Star Wars vehicle that inspired its design – became home for the studio, before it was sold in 2021.
In February, Disney said it would be retrenching 7,000 jobs worldwide as a move to reorganise its operations, following the eroding business of traditional television, stiff competition, and plummeting subscriber numbers for its streaming service Disney+.
In a joint statement, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) said the studio’s decision to shut down its Singapore operations was in response to a changing industry and business conditions.
“The global media industry is facing disruption from rapid technological advancements, while studios are coping with challenges relating to talent and profitability.”
According to EDB’s website, Lucasfilm’s Singapore branch was a part of numerous high-profile Hollywood productions, including several Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars films, as well as Transformers and Jurassic World, among others. – August 15, 2023