James Bond's UK film studio launches mission to the U.S.

British film studio Pinewood Shepperton, home of the James Bond movies, plans to build its first movie, television and music studio in the United States, part of an international expansion strategy launched in 2009.

The owner of Europe's largest film studio, Pinewood said on Monday it would develop 288 acres of land south of Atlanta, Georgia, for a studio facility in a joint venture with River's Rock LLC, an independently managed trust of the Cathy family.

The Cathy family owns the Atlanta-based fried chicken chain Chick-fil-A. It is believed to be their first significant media investment, but no one from Chick-fil-A was available for comment.

Atlanta-area lawyer Douglas Warner, attorney for River's Rock, declined to comment.
Attracting Pinewood is the latest victory for Georgia as it builds itself into a major U.S. production destination. Figures shows that 333 productions were shot in the state last year, boosting public coffers by $3.1 billion, with recent films including "Flight", "X-Men: First Class", and "Fast Five".

Filmmaker and television producer Tyler Perry has a studio in Atlanta, and the popular zombie-themed AMC cable network series "The Walking Dead" is filmed in the southern U.S. state.