Netflix hit Wednesday gets millions in Irish tax credits

Irish-based co-production firm behind Season 2 of Wednesday gets corporation tax credits of between €20 million and €60 million this year

Jenna Ortega plays the lead in Wednesday. Photograph: Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for Netflix
Jenna Ortega plays the lead in Wednesday. Photograph: Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for Netflix

The Irish-based co-production firm behind Season 2 of the Netflix hit show Wednesday has received corporation tax credits here between €20 million and €60 million this year.

That is according to new figures published by the Revenue Commissioners which show that in the second quarter of this year, Metropolitan Films International Ltd received corporation tax credits of €10 million to €30 million for ‘Nero Season 2B (Wednesday)’.

This followed Metropolitan Films International Ltd receiving tax credits of €10 million to €30 million for Nero Season 2 in the first quarter of 2025.

The producers have named the production ‘Nero’ in a nod to the name of Wednesday’s pet scorpion, Nero.

Based on the Addams Family character created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938, Netflix’s supernatural mystery comedy focuses on the teen years of Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega.

The first part of Season 2 of Wednesday was released on August 6th and set the record for being an English language title ranked #1 in the most countries at 91 in its first week.

The second part of Wednesday will be released on September 3rd and Seasons 1 – first broadcast in 2022 – and 2 are the two most popular shows on Netflix currently.

The first season of Wednesday was shot in Romania and production transferred to Ireland in 2024 for Season 2.

The latest season of the gothic mystery show was shot at various locations around counties Wicklow, Dublin and Offaly.

Executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have called the filming locations “truly magical” – and the settings included Powerscourt Demesne in Enniskerry, Charleville Castle in County Offaly and Dublin’s atmospheric Deansgrange Cemetery.

Accounts for the Metropolitan Films International firm behind Season 2, Willow Hill S2 Production DAC show that the production spend by the company in the six months to the end of April 2024 totalled €29.59 million.

The number of people employed by the firm totalled 183 with staff costs amounting to €8.8 million.

Tourism Ireland have made ‘behind the scenes’ firms on Wednesday to use as marketing tools aimed at promoting the locations to tourists overseas.

The Revenue figures also show that Wild Atlantic Pictures Ltd has received tax credits of between €5 million and €10 million for its Rainmaker TV series.

The figures also show that Metropolitan Films International received tax credits of €5 million to €10 million for its comedy thriller, ‘How to get to Heaven from Belfast’.

Due to be broadcast on Netflix, the ‘showrunner’ for the production is Lisa McGee, who was the creator of the multi-award winning Derry Girls.

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Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times