Australian production company Matchbox Pictures is set to close after almost two decades.
The studio was founded by Tony Ayres, Penny Chapman, Helen Bowden, Michael McMahon and Helen Pankhurst in 2008 and is known for fare including “House of Gods,” which won a best actor for Kamel El Basha at Series Mania in 2024, “Dog Park” and “The Survivors.”
Universal International Studios (then known as NBCU) took a majority stake in Matchbox in 2011 before acquiring it fully in 2014.
In a statement, the parent company said: “Following an extensive evaluation of the business and the broader production landscape, Matchbox will be closing after eighteen years (12 years since its NBCU acquisition). Universal International Studios maintains its commitment to Australia, but as strategic priorities shift the studio is evolving its operating model in the region. Moving forward the company will evaluate production opportunities and engage with local producers and talent on a case-by-case basis as new projects emerge.”
Variety understands that Ayres’ standalone prod-co Tony Ayres Productions will also close. Ayres launched the company in 2018 backed by Universal.
In a statement, CEO of industry body Screen Producers Australia paid tribute to the company, saying: “The closure of Matchbox Pictures marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the modern Australian screen industry. Over nearly two decades, Matchbox helped redefine what Australian television and film could be – ambitious, internationally confident and unapologetically local in voice.”
“Many writers, producers and craftspeople built careers through its productions, and its legacy will continue through the people and projects it nurtured. Matchbox helped demonstrate that Australian stories could resonate far beyond our borders, and that contribution will endure across the industry.”
