The $400 million Wildflower Studios, a film studio co-owned by Robert De Niro, has named Cheryl Huggins as executive director ahead of a July 1 opening.
Huggins, who completed earlier executive stints with Quixote Studios and Sunset Studios, will oversee operations at the 11 soundstage, 765,000 square foot studio campus in Astoria, Queens developed by The Deer Hunter and Killers of the Flower Moon star De Niro, his son Raphael De Niro and managing partner Adam Gordon.
The new film studio from De Niro, who has investments in a string of celebrity-driven restaurants, promises “New York City level food” to film and TV productions that shoot on its stages. “It has long puzzled that in one of the greatest food cities, cast and crew were eating at craft tables. We will reset the bar,” Gordon said in a statement.
The new studio campus is set on a five-acre site once owned by piano maker Steinway & Sons and is near to rival Queens film production complexes Kaufman Astoria Studios and Silvercup Studios. Together, the local film studios are looking to help New York City pick up production from Los Angeles, especially from major streamers, as the entertainment industry recovers from the dual Hollywood actors and writers strikes last year.
Major projects shooting in New York City include the latest seasons of CBS’ The Equalizer and NBC’s Law & Order SVU, while the sequel to Paramount’s Smile, Smile Deluxe, and Netflix’s limited series Zero Day have also started camera rolling.
Wildflower Studios will open with an exclusive production equipment supply agreement with Robert Halmi’s Phygital FX.