<
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/feb/18/australian-screen-industry-crushed-as-universal-shutters-matchbox-pictures-with-60-jobs-lost>
"Universal International Studios has confirmed it will close Matchbox Pictures
after nearly 20 years of operations, effectively terminating one of Australia’s
most stable connections to the global market.
From the suburban tension of
The Slap to the global Netflix dominance of
The Survivors, Matchbox served as a sturdy bridge between distinctive
Australian storytelling and the glossy boardrooms of Hollywood.
Universal’s withdrawal from an on-the-ground presence in Australia came as a
shock to the local screen industry, given the Australian company, co-founded by
Tony Ayres and Penny Chapman 18 years ago, had delivered the most successful
Australian-made TV drama on Netflix for 2025, with
The Survivors achieving a
global audience of 28 million.
Another two Matchbox productions,
Safe Harbour and
Nowhere Boys, won
international Emmys, and the Cate Blanchett co-production
Stateless won a
record-breaking 13 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)
awards from 18 nominations, including best telefeature or miniseries, best
screenplay and best direction in television.
The Hollywood studio has removed its permanent overheads – physical offices in
Sydney and Melbourne, and a full-time staff of 30 – and moved to a model where
it will only invest in a project once it is active."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
