Filmmakers in Georgia are finding themselves in a difficult position as Marvel begins to distance itself from the state.
The renowned Hollywood studio has historically produced numerous TV series and major films like Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in Georgia over the years.
Marvel leveraged Georgia’s appealing production incentives, such as the transferable tax credit of 20 percent for projects surpassing $500,000 in costs, to film many of its projects there.
However, due to increasing expenses in Georgia, the studio has shifted much of its operations to the United Kingdom, where filming is reportedly more cost-effective.
This transition was evident with this summer’s Fantastic Four reboot being shot in the UK. The move has contributed to a dramatic decline of nearly 50 percent in Georgia’s production spending over the last three years, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The entertainment industry supported almost 20,000 jobs in Georgia, with the steep drop off set to impact thousands of movie workers.
Janine Gosselin, a script supervisor aged 62, shared with the outlet her shift from having an abundance of work with Marvel during her two decades in Georgia to now facing challenges in securing new projects.
‘You feel like a jilted lover,’ she said.
Movie makers in Georgia say they have been left scrambling for work as Marvel begins unwinding its longstanding relationship with the southern state, with productions dropping by almost 50 percent in the past three years
Dozens of Marvel productions were filmed in Georgia in recent years, but many have moved to the United Kingdom including this summer’s Fantastic Four reboot
Marvel’s blockbuster movies filmed in Georgia also include Spider-Man, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2
Gosselin said she is not alone in finding her workload drop off, and was forced to borrow from her retirement plan to pay the bills after failing to find steady work for over a year.
Following the London production of the Fantastic Four reboot, Marvel is now reportedly filming its next two Avengers movies and the next Spider-Man film in London as well.
The sharp decline in the number of productions in Georgia has been a shock to the state’s movie industry.
This has seen only around 245 projects shot in Georgia in the fiscal year that ended in June, compared to 412 in the 2022 fiscal year.
The drop-off has also been driven by a general reduction in the number of TV shows that studios have made in recent years as streaming platforms become central to their profit margins.
Much of this work has since moved overseas, and the United Kingdom has become a favorite of many studios due to its lower salary demands and the lack of a need to fund employee health insurance.
According to statistics cited by the Journal from data company ProdPro, the United Kingdom has seen a 16 percent surge in movies and TV series with budgets above $40 million in 2024 compared to 2022.
In the US nationwide, there has been a 29 percent decline in this same metric.
Georgia became known in movie circles as the ‘Hollywood of the South’, and an Atlanta facility called Trilith Studios – with over 1,000 acres of space and 34 stages – was the HQ for many famous movie shoots.
Script supervisor Janine Gosselin, 62, said she has gone from having an overload of work with Marvel after moving to Georgia for the past two decades to now struggling to find new productions. ‘You feel like a jilted lover,’ she said
Georgia became known in movie circles as the ‘Hollywood of the South’, and an Atlanta facility called Trilith Studios (pictured) – with over 1,000 acres of space and 34 stages – was the HQ for many famous movie shoots
Marvel shot many scenes in Georgia thanks to its generous production tax credits, with flicks that cost over $500,000 qualifying for a 20% base transferable tax credit. Pictured: Chris Evans films Avengers: Infinity War at Trilith Studios in 2018
Lenzi Sealy, who scouted locations for four Marvel projects, told the Journal that at the height of the productions there, sets were ‘fighting over stages on a daily basis because there just wasn’t enough room for Marvel and whatever other show was trying to film.’
Statewide, the entertainment industry supported almost 20,000 jobs.
But now, Trilith has been struggling to fill its stages.
With its days as a movie production hub falling away, some states have tried to emulate its tax credits system.
Texas, New York, New Jersey and California have expanded their advantages to try and entice studios back to the US in recent times.
