One of the worst kept secrets in Ireland’s film and TV sector has been official confirmed by the local industry body — that the second season of “Wednesday” is now shooting in the country.
The hit Netflix show — produced by MGM Television — became a smash hit in 2023, with season one (which shot in Romania) amassing more than 250 million views and winning four Emmys. It was revealed late last year that the second outing would be shifting production to County Wicklow in Ireland.
But for Screen Ireland, which has helped welcome countless major films and TV shows — including the likes of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — to its shores since it was re-launched in 1993 (as the Irish Film Board), “Wednesday” marks the “largest production to ever film in Ireland” in terms of production spend.
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To celebrate the news, Ireland’s prime minister, Taoiseach Simon Harris, visited the set, meeting series director Tim Burton, showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and several Irish creatives working on the production.
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“I’m delighted to see Ireland continues to be chosen as a location to film series and movies which supports our economy, creates jobs, showcases our creative talents and promotes our country on a global stage,” Harris said in a statement.
“In recent years we have invested substantially in productions made in Ireland, such as ‘The Siege of Jadotville,’ ‘The Wonder,’ ‘Bodkin,’ and ‘Vikings: Valhalla,” added Anna Mallett, Netflix’s VP Production EMEA, who said that, alongside the “cultural juggernaught” of “Wednesday” it would also be filming Marian Keyes’ “Grown Ups” and Lisa McGee’s “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“Ireland has long been a home for MGM Television productions from the original ‘Vikings’ in 2012, to ‘Vikings: Valhalla,’ and now ‘Wednesday,'” said Lindsay Sloane, Head of MGM Television. “We have found resources in Ireland to be top notch and an incredibly skilled group of professionals and apprentices that help bring our productions to life.”
Ireland recently improved its Section 481 film and TV tax incentive, increasing the cap on eligible expenditure from €70 million ($75 million) to €125 million ($134 million) per project, and further extended the credit to 2028. Recent Hollywood productions to shoot in the country include Universal’s “Abigail” and Warner Bros. “The Watchers.”