## Overview Leavesden Studios, officially known as **Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden (WBSL)**, is one of the UK’s premier film and television production facilities, located just north of Watford, Hertfordshire, and a key rival to Pinewood Studios[1]. It is renowned for hosting some of the world’s most ambitious film productions, including the entire Harry Potter series, and offers state-of-the-art sound stages, workshops, and extensive backlot space[3]. The studios also operate the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, a major visitor attraction that showcases the making of the Harry Potter films[3]. ## History The site’s origins trace back to 1939, when it was acquired by the Ministry of Defence and developed as an aircraft production base during World War II, manufacturing planes like the Mosquito Fighter and Halifax bomber[3][4]. After the war, Rolls-Royce took over the site for large aircraft engine production until 1992, when the factory closed[3]. The facility then stood unused until 1994, when the James Bond film *GoldenEye*—unable to secure space at Pinewood—converted its vast aircraft hangars into film studios, dubbing it “Cubbywood” as an inside joke[2][5]. This marked the birth of Leavesden Studios as a film production hub. Following *GoldenEye*, Leavesden quickly became a sought-after location for major productions, including *Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace* and Tim Burton’s *Sleepy Hollow*[2][4]. In 2000, Warner Bros. leased the site for *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*, and over the next decade, every film in the series was shot there[4][5]. The studios were closed to the public during this period, operating as a “closed set”[4]. ## Key Achievements Leavesden’