Italy’s Cinecittà Studio is back in the black, posting a small but significant operating profit of 1.1 million euros ($1.2 million) in 2025, it was announced on Tuesday. Three major Hollywood shoots were in progress at various stages in the vast backlot.
The studio suffered a loss of approximately $12 million in fiscal year 2024 while undergoing extensive renovations, but the famous facility has since bounced back. They then succeeded in seducing Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of Christ,” which is currently in the final stages of physical production. Denzel Washington stars as Carthaginian general Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua’s untitled Netflix film, scheduled for release this summer. Also on Netflix, a live-action Assassin’s Creed series directed by Johan Renck (Chernobyl) is being prepared for July 2025. Filming for “Assassin’s Creed” began in March at Cinecittà and is scheduled to run for seven months until mid-October.
Italian productions filmed at Cinecitta include Marco Bellocchio’s HBO Italian original series Portobello.
“I must say that our commercial activities have begun in earnest on an international level,” Cinecitta CEO Manuela Cacciamani told Variety ahead of the studio’s annual results presentation. “The second half of the year went very well because there was a lot of recruiting to sell the studio[to attract filming].”
Compared to 2024, Cinecitta’s sales increased by €8.9 million ($10 million) to €30.5 million ($35 million), and the studio’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) jumped from €7 million ($8 million) to €14 million ($16 million).
The iconic cinema facility is on schedule with renovations underway under a six-year plan launched in 2021, thanks to a €233 million ($268 million) loan provided by the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery fund.
“At the end of the process in June of this year, Cinecittà will have achieved all of the goals of the plan,” Cacciamani said. “In total, we will have 25 state-of-the-art soundstages, a 10-hectare (2.5-acre) backlot, and 21,000 square meters (11,000 square feet) of space dedicated to production offices.
The Roma Studio water tank (previously located in Cinecittà, but not operational for the past 10 years) has also been completely restored. This means that when Cinecittà reaches its full potential, its production capacity will soon increase by 60% compared to the years before the renovation.
Italy’s 40% tax rebate on international film and television shoots, which is uncapped and allows producers to receive monthly cashback during production and reduce costs as they progress, continues to be a key driver. “This is one of the three reasons international productions choose us,” said Cacciamani. The other two are top-notch quality from Cinecittà-based craftsmen and staff, and a state-of-the-art soundstage that includes the world’s largest LED wall.
Another key aspect of Cinecittà’s renovation is its state-of-the-art video and audio post-production facilities, including dubbing and mixing rooms, 35mm and 16mm film processing and restoration labs.
Mr. Cacciamani pointed out that in recent years, the company’s post-production services have also been chosen for films that were not shot in studios, such as Tim Burton’s Netflix series “Wednesday” and Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt,” as well as films that were shot in studios, such as Ridley Scott’s “The Dog Stars” and Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Brunello: Elegant Seer.”
