Lights, camera, action! Governor Newsom announces 28 new films coming to California, set to boost local economies

“Big love to the California Film Commission and Gov. Newsom for holdin’ it down with that tax credit. Y’all making it possible for us to tell my story right here where it all began. California raised me, inspired me, and now helpin’ bring this biopic to life in 2026. Much respect – that’s real teamwork, ya dig…” said Snoop Dogg, Producer, Untitled Snoop Dogg Project.

“This film is a love letter to a community that is woven into the fabric of our state, so it’s only right that we shoot this project here. I’m so fortunate that a movie with cultural resonance to and about Los Angeles and California has been selected for the Tax Credit, and I’m excited to bring these stories to the screen,” said Scott Budnick, CEO, 1Community, Producer, Guerrero.

“I’m deeply honored that our film has been selected for the California Tax Credit. Having the opportunity to bring this project to life in Los Angeles means a great deal to me, not only because this city has shaped so much of my creative path, but because it allows us to collaborate with the inimitable crews and craftspeople who make California such a singular home for filmmaking,” said Gina Rodriguez, Director, Guerrero.

Boosting California’s local economies

Seventeen of these new projects will film in locations spanning the entire state, delivering 286 shoot days that will take place outside of the 30-mile Los Angeles filming zone. Out-of-zone locations include Alameda, Contra Costa, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Sonoma counties, as well as Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo and Temecula, generating meaningful impact for all these regional economies. Notably, five independent projects will shoot entirely out of the Los Angeles zone.

More specifically, Ang Lee’s highly anticipated Gold Mountain, an epic story about the California Gold Rush, is leading the charge with 50 out-of-zone filming days – all of which will occur in Sacramento County.

About California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program

The California Film Commission (CFC) administers the Film & Television Tax Credit Program. Earlier this year, the Governor more than doubled California’s Film and Television Tax Credit program — from $330 million to $750 million — and implemented key updates to keep production, below-the-line jobs, and investment rooted in California.

Since its inception in 2009, California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program has generated over $30.6 billion in economic activity and supported more than 228,000 cast and crew jobs across the state. In years past, for every dollar of tax credit awarded, California has seen massive returns — $24.40 in economic output, $16.14 in GDP and $8.60 in wages.

The expanded program — now one of the largest capped film incentives in the nation — maintains California’s competitive edge in the creative economy while continuing to prioritize workforce diversity provisions, more funding for the Career Pathways Training Program, and the nation’s first Safety on Production Pilot Program.

For more information about the program, visit www.film.ca.gov.