Universal International Studios will close Matchbox Pictures, one of Australia’s most prominent production companies, after nearly two decades, a move that has sent shockwaves through the Australian screen industry. The closure, confirmed Tuesday, effectively ends a significant link between Australian storytelling and global markets.
Matchbox Pictures, founded in 2008 by Tony Ayres, Penny Chapman, Helen Bowden, Michael McMahon and Helen Panckhurst, has been responsible for a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful television dramas, and films. Productions include the award-winning series The Slap, the international Emmy-winning Safe Harbour, and, most recently, The Survivors, which achieved a global audience of 28 million on Netflix in 2025, becoming the platform’s most-watched Australian-made series. Stateless, a co-production with Cate Blanchett, garnered a record-breaking 13 AACTA awards from 18 nominations.
The decision to shutter Matchbox comes after an “extensive evaluation of the business and the broader production landscape,” according to a statement released by Universal International Studios. The studio stated it remains “committed to Australia” but is “evolving its operating model in the region,” shifting to a project-by-project engagement with local producers and talent. This means Universal will no longer maintain permanent offices in Sydney and Melbourne, and will eliminate more than 60 creative positions.
The move has been met with dismay by industry figures. Screen Producers Australia (SPA) described Matchbox as having “redefined what Australian television and film could be – ambitious, internationally confident and unapologetically local in voice.” SPA chief executive Matthew Deaner stated the company’s legacy would endure through the projects and people it nurtured, highlighting its success in demonstrating the global resonance of Australian stories.
The Australia Writers’ Guild (AWG) expressed concern over the closure, noting Matchbox’s consistent valuing of writers and employment of Australian talent. AWG chief executive Claire Pullen warned that the closure serves as a “sad reminder that our industry can’t rely on the whims of international studios to keep us afloat,” and underscored the need for solutions to maintain a robust and distinctly Australian screen sector.
Tony Ayres, who stepped down from Matchbox in 2018 to lead Universal-backed Tony Ayres Productions, will also notice that venture cease operations as part of the restructuring. A spokesperson for Ayres declined to comment on the decision. Matchbox’s managing director, Alastair McKinnon, released a brief statement acknowledging the company’s contribution to the Australian film and television landscape.
The future of Matchbox’s most recent production, the ABC drama/comedy Dog Park, which debuted earlier this month to a four-star review in Guardian Australia, is now uncertain. The closure casts doubt on the possibility of a second season.
Universal International Studios’ shift in strategy signals a move away from maintaining a substantial on-the-ground presence in Australia, instead opting to evaluate and invest in projects on a case-by-case basis. The long-term implications of this change for the Australian screen industry remain to be seen.
