# Hollywood Film Studios Repurposed for Space-Age Weapons Manufacturing Iconic LA production facilities pivot to defense industry amid shifting economic priorities. - **Source:** [Slashdot](https://brifing.si/source/0f34d58e-1ccd-45a6-ab82-2de4065dc7ad) - **Published:** 2026-07-20 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/52704fe5-7ebc-4e5a-b0e3-295c8fe625e1 ## From Soundstages to Defense Hub Manhattan Beach Studios, home to blockbusters like Avatar and Marvel films, is now marketed as a next-gen weapons production center with its $240M mortgage. Its location in LA's aerospace corridor adds strategic value for defense contractors. ## Prime Location Meets Rising Demand Flanked by Northrop Grumman and SpaceX facilities, the property capitalizes on surging demand for advanced manufacturing space. Defense-related industrial leases jumped from 2% to 11% of LA's market since 2025 began. ## Hollywood's Pivot As film production slows, increased Pentagon spending revives LA's defense manufacturing legacy. The region once produced Cold War aircraft before post-Soviet decline, now experiencing a military-industrial renaissance. ## Real Estate Pitch Cushman Wakefield's listing highlights the site's scarcity value and multi-use potential amid constrained industrial supply. Bids for the property are due July 28, targeting defense and aerospace investors. ## Regional Economic Shift LA Economic Development Corp's president Stephen Cheung frames this transition as part of the area's continuous reinvention. Defense manufacturing has shaped the local economy since WWII bomber production. ## Industrial Legacy Reloaded This conversion continues facilities' heritage of producing Apollo modules and supersonic jets, now aligning with US defense modernization goals. The infrastructure prepares for next-generation space warfare technologies. ## Sources covering this story - https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/26/07/20/0331209/hollywood-sci-fi-studio-lot-now-pitched-as-site-to-make-real-space-age-weapons?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._