Brexit brings great changes to the United Kingdom’s film and television industries, but HBO’s Game of Thrones won’t be affected by the country leaving the European Union.
Shortly after EU referendum results were announced early Friday, a HBO spokeswoman issued a statement in which it said, “We do not anticipate that the result of the EU Referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing ‘Game of Thrones’.”
Brexit
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Game of Thrones is being filmed in Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K. But what triggered worries in European fans is a report saying the HBO hit fantasy is being funded from the EU’s European Regional Development Fund.
But HBO assures that Game of Thrones has not received funding from the EU for the past few seasons of its run.
Even though Game of Thrones is not affected by Brexit, the EU referendum could potentially damage many other films and TV series produced by the U.K., according to Michael Ryan, chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance.
“The decision to exit the European Union is a major blow to the U.K. film and TV industry,” Ryan said in his statement, adding that production of movies and TV shows is “a very expensive and very risky business,” which is why there are strict rules to regulate the business.
Ryan thinks the outcome of the EU referendum has “blown up our foundation,” leaving members of the Independent Film and Television Alliance wondering what will be the future of U.K.’s film and TV industry.
He said that the Alliance’s members are uncertain how the whole business will work from now: whether relations between co-producers, financiers and distributors will change and whether “new taxes will be dropped on our activities in the rest of Europe, or how production financing is going to be raised without any input from European funding agencies.”
Ryan also noted that the country’s creative sector has always brought “strong and vibrant” contribution to the U.K.’s economy. So Brexit “is likely to be devastating for us.”
IFTA members have made great contributions to working on such films as The Hunger Games and The King’s Speech.
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In other news, ever since the EU referendum results were announced British celebrities took it to Twitter to express their reaction over the vote to leave the European Union. Author of Harry Potter books J.K. Rowling expressed in one of her tweets her disappointment over the results.
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted magic more,” Rowling wrote.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 09: J.K. Rowling illuminates the Empire State Building to mark the USA launch of her non-profit children’s organization, Lumos, at The Empire State Building on April 9, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Nomi Ellenson/FilmMagic)
Actress Elizabeth Hurley, meanwhile, reacted rather uniquely by tweeting “Birds are singing.” She shared a series of tweets, in which she expressed her delight with the news. One of her tweets featured a photo of sunrise and the caption said, “Here comes the sun.”
TV host James Corden slammed Britain’s choice, saying that he felt the “youth of Britain” had been “let down today.”
“I can’t get my head around what’s happening in Britain.I’m so sorry to the youth of Britain. I fear you’ve been let down today.”
Soccer star David Beckham recently shared his opinion on Brexit in his lengthy Facebook post. Beckham explained why he thinks the U.K. shouldn’t leave the EU. “For our children and their children we should be facing the problems of the world together and not alone,” he wrote.
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron announced shortly after the results came that he will resign. The U.K. is thus the first ever nation to leave the European Union, which consists of 28 countries.
Time will show the consequences of Brexit, but Britain’s pound has already plummeted to its lowest level in more than 30 years, which cannot be a good sign
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