California awards tax credits to 28 films to boost local Hollywood production

Dec 17 (Reuters) – California has awarded tax credits to 28 new movie projects, including Oscar-winning director Ang Lee's upcoming film and rapper Snoop Dogg's biopic, as Hollywood's home state seeks to bolster local production and stem a years-long shift to other regions.  The projects, which include productions from indie studios and legacy players such as NBCUniversal and Twentieth Century Studios, will collectively deliver $562 million in economic activity in the state, the California Film Commission said on Wednesday.  The announcement comes months after California boosted its annual tax incentives program for film and TV production to $750 million from $330 million as part of a broader tax bill signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Democrat Newsom had advocated for the increase, aiming to draw back some production California lost to places such as Britain, Canada and other U.S. states due to their generous tax credits and rebates. "For more than a century, the world's most iconic stories have been imagined, produced, and shared from right here (in California)… This latest round of tax credit awards builds on that legacy," Newsom said in a statement on Wednesday. The move also comes against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on films produced overseas. "California raised me, inspired me, and now helpin' bring this biopic to life in 2026. Much respect," Snoop Dogg said, referring to his Long Beach-set biopic. Since its inception in 2009, California's tax credit program has generated over $30.6 billion in economic activity, according to the CFC, which runs the tax credit program.   "By supporting these talented artists' storytelling, we're not only keeping entertainment jobs in state, we're reinforcing California's status as the entertainment capital of the world," said Colleen Bell, director of the CFC.  (Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)

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