California’s decision to more than double its annual film and TV tax credit program is already paying off. The Golden State’s $750 million expansion, up from $330 million last year, has triggered a wave of applications — up 400% year-over-year — as state leaders fight to keep Hollywood competitive against aggressive incentive programs in Georgia, New Mexico, the U.K. and beyond.
The California Film Commission confirmed it has approved 22 television projects in the first incentive round, a 38% jump from the same period last year. Among them: a new Hulu drama from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, an untitled HBO series from Larry David, CBS Studios’ NCIS: Origins and Sony’s S.W.A.T. Exiles. Netflix, a longtime tenant at Hackman Capital Partners’ Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, is also relocating Tom Segura’s series Bad Thoughts from Texas to Los Angeles under the new program.
Adding to the momentum, Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher’s Cliff Booth—a spin-off of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood starring Brad Pitt—is now filming at RSH Studios in Hollywood, underscoring the state’s renewed ability to lure marquee productions back home.
“This credit allows us to work with the best crews and craftspeople around,” said Group Chat creator and showrunner Kenya Barris in a statement.
The approved shows are projected to generate $1.1 billion in economic activity, including $413 million in wages, while securing more than 1,100 filming days across the state. Colleen Bell, executive director of the California Film Commission, called the early results proof that “the program is meeting the challenge of creating jobs and keeping productions here at home.”
A Shot in the Arm for Hollywood Stages
The tax credit expansion comes as Los Angeles soundstage occupancy has plummeted from 90% pre-pandemic to just 63% in 2024, a stark reflection of content pullbacks, labor strikes and runaway production. Brokers and landlords say the new credits are already helping refill stages across Hollywood, Burbank, Culver City and Van Nuys, restoring a measure of predictability to a sector battered by global competition.
The legislation raises the per-project credit cap from 20% to 35% and, starting in the 2025–26 fiscal year, allows unused credits to be refunded — a move designed to match rival states. This round was dedicated to television; feature film applications are set for later this year.
New Development on the Horizon
Alongside the incentives, billions of dollars in new studio projects are underway across Los Angeles. Hackman’s $1 billion expansion of Television City and Warner Bros.’ $500 million renovation of its Burbank Studio Ranch are set to deliver dozens of new stages and offices. Echelon Studios is building the first purpose-built Hollywood soundstage complex in over 20 years, while East End Studios is moving ahead with an impressive 675,000-square-foot Arts District campus that will include 5 soundstages, including one of the largest stages in California.
Rendering of Echelon Studios in the heart of Hollywood will have four 19,000 square foot purpose-built soundstages.
Rendering of East End Studios Arts District campus to open before the end of the year with 5 Soundstages, totaling 108,150 square feet of shooting space and more than 250,000 of total production and support space.
