(The Center Square) – California has approved 22 TV projects for its tax credits program.
It’s the first round of the California Film Commission’s tax credits since Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the expansion of tax credits for television shows and movies in July. That expansion more than doubled funding for the program to $750 million from $330 million.
The Governor’s Office announced the tax credits for the 22 productions this week and said they would bring an estimated $1.1 billion in economic activity. The office said that breaks down to $413 million in wages and $714 million in expenditures.
The projects are employing 6,500 actors and crew members throughout the state, the office said in a news release.
The productions spell more than 1,100 filming days, which the Governor’s Office called “a major boost” to local economies throughout the Golden State.
“California has long been the entertainment capital of the world — and the newly expanded film and TV tax credit program is keeping it that way,” Newsom said. “This program means paychecks for middle-class workers, opportunities for small businesses and investment in communities up and down the state.”
But in February, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said the impact of the tax credits program is minimal.
“California’s film tax credit likely increases the size of the state’s motion picture and sound recording industry by a few percent,” the LAO wrote in a report on the 2025-26 state budget.
A more difficult question is the credit’s impact on the state economy, the LAO wrote.
“There is currently no compelling evidence to suggest that film tax credits have a positive effect on the size of the state’s economy overall, after considering two important offsetting factors,” the LAO said.
The office said one factor is the loss of state tax revenues that could have been used in another way to boost the economy. It said the other factor is that labor resources used on tax-credit productions may have been used in other industries.
But the LAO also noted, “A previous LAO analysis of the early years of California’s tax credit estimated that two‑thirds of the projects that were allocated a tax credit would have filmed in another location had they not been awarded a credit.”
The 22 shows getting the tax credits vary from “NCIS: Origins,” a CBS Studios series that films at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, to “The Studio,” an Emmy-nominated comedy that films at various Los Angeles locations and stars Seth Rogen as movie studio chief Matt Remick. Rogen is also one of the co-creators, executive producers, directors and writers of the Lionsgate series, which is getting tax credits for its second season on Apple TV+.
Other shows getting tax credits include “Group Chat,” a 20th Television pilot for Hulu; a new HBO series from Larry David of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” fame; the second season of Warner Bros. Television’s Emmy-nominated “Presumed Innocent,” streaming on AppleTV+; and Sony Pictures Television’s “S.W.A.T. Exiles.”
Tax credits are also going to “Bad Thoughts,” a Netflix series that is moving its filming from Texas to California.
“I am thrilled that we are going to be able to shoot ‘Group Chat’ in Los Angeles thanks to the California Film Commission tax credit,” said Kenya Barris, “Group Chat” creator, executive producer and showrunner. “As an L.A. native, I feel lucky to have been able to shoot so many projects here throughout my career and love that we’ll be able to continue spotlighting our incredible city, its people and the culture.”
Newsom said the tax credits program isn’t just about protecting California’s legacy.
“We’re reminding the world why the Golden State remains the beating heart of film and television,” the Democratic governor said.
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