007 Stage

The Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage stands on the Pinewood Studios lot in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. It is one of the largest sound stages in the world, built to house the Liparus supertanker set for The Spy Who Loved Me. The stage was first conceived in 1976 by production designer Ken Adam and cost $1.8 million to construct. It was designed as a permanent structure, unlike earlier temporary sets like the volcano crater from You Only Live Twice. The stage enclosed an existing water tank, creating the largest ‘silent stage’ ever built at the time. The stage has been used for many famous films beyond the James Bond series. Superman: The Movie filmed its Arctic ice floe scenes here, while Batman’s Batcave was built inside. Other productions include Clash of the Titans, Dragonslayer, and The Da Vinci Code. The stage has survived two major fires, in 1984 and 2006, and was rebuilt each time to become even larger. After the 2006 fire, it was redesigned with improved features such as vehicle ramps and aircraft-style loading doors. Visitors to the 007 Stage find a vast, open space designed for large-scale film sets. The stage now measures 114 by 48 metres and includes a deep water tank for underwater scenes. Recent productions like Skyfall and Spectre used the stage for complex sets, including a full-scale Westminster Bridge replica. The stage remains a working film studio, continuing to host major productions today.