Robert De Niro’s Wildflower Studios: The Billion-Dollar Vertical Film Studio Revolutionizing NYC's Movie Industry
At Buttercup Venues, we are constantly inspired by innovation within the production industry. While we pride ourselves on offering premier, production-ready locations in Los Angeles, we are thrilled to see groundbreaking developments on the East Coast. A prime example is Wildflower Studios, a visionary project in Astoria, Queens, backed by actor Robert De Niro, his son Raphael De Niro, and developer Adam Gordon . This nearly $1 billion, 760,000-square-foot facility is redefining what a modern studio can be.
Designed by the acclaimed Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Wildflower Studios is more than just a collection of soundstages; it's a "world-class content creation campus" . The seven-story complex is a vertical model for film production, created to meet New York City's immense demand for studio space . Sited on a 5.25-acre waterfront parcel purchased from Steinway, the studio is conveniently located just minutes from central Manhattan
The facility boasts 11 combinable soundstages, 310 off-street parking spaces, and dedicated support areas, allowing for a seamless workflow from pre-production to post . But what truly sets Wildflower apart is its mission to be a futuristic hub for all forms of storytelling. The campus is designed to accommodate not only traditional film and television but also streaming, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and gaming
The studio's interior fosters a dynamic and collaborative environment. Strategically interconnected spaces, including offices, production support areas, cafés, and fitness centers, are designed to encourage interaction between actors, writers, and technical crews . This creates a vibrant working community within the practical infrastructure of filmmaking . For Robert De Niro, the studio is the realization of a long-held ambition to build a major New York City soundstage, a goal he first pursued in 1999 .
