Fayetteville’s Pinewood Atlanta Studios and Pinewood Forest have a new name – Trilith

Pinewood Atlanta Studios and the mixed-use Pinewood Forest development in Fayetteville both have a new name. The new name is Trilith, which includes the studios, situated on 700 acres, and the 235-acre mixed-use development across Veterans Parkway.

Trilith officials said the name change at both sites signals the expansion into an ecosystem built for the creative industries.

Expected after U.K.-based Pinewood Group Limited sold its stake in Pinewood Atlanta to its Atlanta-based partners, the announcement of the name change was made on Oct. 7.

The name Trilith (a structure consisting of two large vertical stones supporting a third stone set horizontally across the top), which conjures the iconic three-stone structure of Stonehenge, is emblematic of the three pillars of creativity behind it: storytelling, purpose-built places and emerging technology, the Trilith press release said.

“A trilith is an appropriate symbol for our new identity as it represents a nod to our U.K. history while serving as a metaphor for the three pillars of our vision,” said Frank Patterson, president and CEO of Trilith Studios, LLC. “The new Trilith Studios brand signals to the entertainment industry our expansion from a facilities business to an ecosystem intentionally built for the creative industries.”

Trilith Studios, at more than one million square feet of production facilities, including 18 premium sound stages, construction workshops, costume shops, virtual production technologies and a 400-acre backlot, is one of the largest purpose-built studios in North America and home to blockbuster films such as “Avengers: Endgame.” 

Describing itself as a 235-acre New Urbanist town, the live-work environment originally called Pinewood Forest, is now known as Trilith.

Viewed as a whole, Trilith officials said the 935-acre master development includes the studio, as well as a slate of vendor businesses, custom homes and micro-villages, chef-driven restaurants and thought-leading schools, all aimed at servicing the film and creative industries.

To promote the growth of the ecosystem at Trilith Studios, Patterson and development partners are building more than 220,000 square feet of new, innovative spaces on its 700-acre campus, including a Creative Office Centre designed to house content and technology companies and 60,000 square feet of smart stages with virtual production technologies designed to fit any budget, the press release said.

Recently, the studio developed and launched a first-of-its-kind virtual LED stage that offers the highest quality production values in the industry to films and shows of any size.

In January, the studio began a series of strategic investments in content and technology companies to expand its business ecosystem, with initial investments in Believe Entertainment Group, best known for the Academy Award winning “Dear Basketball” and Sutikki, a kids’ entertainment company known for the preschool TV series “Moon and Me.”

Across Veterans Parkway, Trilith developers aim to connect business with lifestyle through a European-inspired town that serves as the development’s cultural center. Construction on the exquisitely-designed walkable community began two years ago with plans to house 5,000 residents in 1,400 homes, including 600 multi-family homes, that were imagined to accommodate the price sensitivities of creatives in all stages of their careers – from micro-homes, canopy homes and townhomes, to custom-designed single-family homes and estates, developers said.

Recently launched was the first of 12 innovative food concepts that will complement the shops to be located in Town Centre, a 270,000 sq. ft. retail development, developers added.

“We are excited about making a spectacular gathering place where professionals in the creative industries, and anyone who appreciates storytelling and innovation, will feel inspired and at home,” said Rob Parker, president of Trilith Development, LLC.

The residential neighborhoods at Trilith comprise the largest geothermal community in the United States, with 51 percent of the development dedicated to green space, and is currently home to more than 1,000 trees. Residents have access to 15 miles of nature trails, 54 acres of forest, 19 superbly landscaped parks and one of the most sophisticated and welcoming dog parks in the world, Parker said.

“Everything we build is intended to endure and thrive, even 100 years from now,” said Parker.

From its inception, Trilith developers focused on fitness, wellness and education, so the town is home to the Piedmont Wellness Center, a 60,000 sq. ft. world-class fitness facility, a K-12 micro school with a story arts focus and learner-driven technology called The Forest School, and the University of Georgia’s MFA program in Screenwriting, the Trilith press release said.

The Georgia Film Academy, which was founded by the state’s University System and the Technical College System in 2014 to meet workforce needs for the film and creative industries, has its largest campus at Trilith that includes a soundstage, workshops, post facilities and classrooms, according to the press release.

Looking to the near-term future, in 2021, Parker and development partners said they plan to build a 180-room boutique hotel, a 120-room select service hotel, a nine-screen luxury cinema and an 18,000 square foot sound stage to host industry and arts-related events in the town.

Trilith developers said they expect the expansion of the studios and growth of the town to increase the value proposition for producers of big budget films and television shows.

“We’ve been producing movies at this amazing Atlanta studio since the day it opened in 2014,” said David Grant, Vice President of Physical Production of Marvel Studios. “We look forward to producing more great work at Trilith and expect to benefit from the new world-class facilities, technologies and expanding business ecosystem.”

Trilith will be responsible for creating more than 7,000 jobs, including those related to the 60-plus businesses located on site. Trilith’s business ecosystem attracts investment capital, innovators and entertainment-related businesses which in turn support the educational goals of the Georgia Film Academy, Fayette County Public Schools and the University of Georgia, according to Trilith.