Chopped mushroom?: Matchbox Pictures, one of Australia’s most prolific production studios, was shuttered last week by parent company Universal International Studios, with 30 jobs set to go. Responsible for The Slap, Secret City, Stateless and Glitch, Matchbox was founded by a bevy of Australian screen veterans, including Tony Ayres, whose own subsidiary studio, Tony Ayres Productions, will also shut its doors as a result of the decision. Ayres’ studio was also responsible for the upcoming ABC scripted television drama about the case of mushroom killer Erin Patterson. The show, titled Toxic, was announced in July 2025. Cochon reached out to the ABC to confirm whether the program would still go ahead, and a spokesperson said the broadcast would “clarify the status of various projects” in the coming weeks. —DS
Why and how is it ok for an overseas company to shut down local, prolific production studios??
#MatchboxPictures
#TonyAyresProductions
www.crikey.com.au/2026/02/24/c...
