Studio West, which served as the headquarters for the Power Rangers series for 17 years, was purchased by Kay and Glenn Howe in 2015. Since then, the west Auckland site has been significantly developed and expanded, becoming a locally owned and operated screen production facility, and home to Auckland’s largest purpose-built soundstage.
Located in Glen Eden, near Te Kōpua Henderson, at the heart of Auckland’s screen hub, Studio 4 was developed at Studio West in 2021. The state-of-the-art soundstage covers 36,570sq ft. In 2024 Studio 5, a further sound stage of 25,800sq ft was added to the site. This not only represented a significant expansion for Studio West but further developed west Auckland’s already-impressive film infrastructure.
In early 2025, the construction of a fifth stage covering more than 25,800sq ft was completed. This new addition positions Studio West to handle even larger international projects and further solidifies its role in the global screen industry.
Studio West offers turnkey solutions to large productions, boasting an impressive 124,300sq ft of production space. This includes 70,000sq ft of sound stages, 9000sq ft of warehouse stages, 27,000sq ft of office space, and 18,300sq ft of mill space. These facilities allow for every element of production to be carried out on site.
Studio 4 has already hosted high-profile projects which are currently awaiting release, including Chief of War, a Hawaiian historical drama starring Jason Momoa, Blumhouse’s M3GAN 2.0, starring Jemaine Clement, and Disney’s Zombies 4.
“Before we built the new sound stages, we couldn’t have supported productions of this scale,” says Studio West owner Kay Howe. “It’s completely transformed the profile of Studio West, moving us from a boutique facility to one that can now attract and accommodate major international productions year-round.”
Screen Auckland is the regional film office for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. It facilitates film permitting in Auckland and works to showcase the region’s diverse locations, world-class talent and state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure.
Screen Auckland Manager Matthew Horrocks says, “Central to the levelling up of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on the international stage is Screen Auckland. By supporting the development of local talent and securing vital connections globally, Screen Auckland helps facilities such as Studio West rise in the international screen industry, through working to attract international film, television and digital media productions to the region.”
Studio West also provides bespoke solutions to help those international productions set up in Auckland, including location scouting, studio access and facilitating logistical support. Auckland has a growing reputation across all aspects of film production, and Screen Auckland plays a central role in promoting Auckland’s strength and capacity in the global screen market.
