Warner Bros. Suicide Squad spent over $80 million, boosting Ontario’s economy

Warner Bros. Suicide Squad brought excitement to the City of Toronto well before its opening in theatres today:  Thousands of fans flocked to downtown to try to catch a glimpse of Deadshot rappelling off the side of a Front Street building, the bat mobile racing up Yonge Street, or the helicopter crash in the financial district.  During the 98 days of filming, and 168 days of pre and post shoot work, the production created 4,707 jobs, spending well over $80 million in Ontario.

To coincide with Suicide Squad’s release in theatres, an exclusive “behind the scenes” video released today celebrates five Ontario businesses who contributed to the production. From a sheet metal business to caterers, an electrical and lighting supplier to the company that provides the fasteners and bolts to put it all together—these are just a handful of the people and businesses in Ontario who benefit from making movie magic happen.  Some of the key local expenditures include:

• Over $12.5 million on all rentals, including truck and car rentals;
• More than $4.2 million on lumber and construction supplies;
• Close to $2 million on catering, bakery goods, and other food items;
• Over $2.6 million on location fees; and
• More than $785,000 on local wardrobe and dry cleaning services.

“I am thrilled that blockbuster films such as Suicide Squad are choosing to film in Ontario, reinforcing our province’s reputation as a world class hub for film and TV production. Last year, Ontario’s film industry had its best year ever and movies like Suicide Squad are an important part of this growth – generating spending and creating jobs.” said Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Our government is a proud supporter of the creative industries and I am glad to see that this important sector is thriving‎.”

“Productions like Suicide Squad are not only an opportunity to showcase Ontario’s talented cast and crew, but also support thousands of local businesses who play a significant role behind the scenes,” said Wendy Noss, President, Motion Picture Association-Canada. “With Suicide Squad spending over $80 million in the province, it is easy to understand why the film and television industry is a critical part of Ontario’s economy.”

“Toronto provided the perfect backdrop for some of the high intensity scenes in Suicide Squad. We had access to top cast, crew and extras, and fantastic small businesses throughout the province that supplied everything a large-scale production like Suicide Squad requires,” said Bill Draper, President, Worldwide Physical Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. “We are thankful for our partnership with the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and all of our local partners who we work with to create world-class entertainment.”

“We have been in business for over 40 years and working with the people in the film and TV industry is a phenomenal experience,” said Steve Howes, President, Demtra Sheet Metal Industries Ltd. “The movie business means a lot of work to us and to a lot of other people, creating a number of off-shoot jobs from truck drivers to rentals to food services and hospitality. It is a feather in my cap to say I’ve worked on productions like Suicide Squad and it is an incredibly rewarding experience.”

About MPA-Canada:
The Motion Picture Association – Canada (MPA-Canada) serves as the voice and advocate of the major international producers and distributors of movies, home entertainment and television programming in Canada and is an affiliate of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA). The motion picture studios we serve are: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

*All figures are in Canadian dollars.

Check out our Behind the Scenes video with Ontario businesses.

Follow us on Twitter.

-30-