Georgia film production rebounds in 2026 after post-strike slowdown

This week, Georgia film industry leaders told lawmakers production in the state is beginning to rebound.

“We are busier now than we have been in some time,” said Lee Thomas, director of the Georgia Film Office. “2026 is much better than 2025 was.”

Industry representatives met with state lawmakers on Wednesday to discuss the state of production and the path forward. It comes after a downturn that followed years of rapid growth.

“Georgia faced a significant slowdown in film production over the past couple of years, with direct spend dropping to $2.3 billion for fiscal year 2025, down from $4.4 billion at its height in 2022,” Thomas said.

Much of the decline stemmed from labor disputes in Hollywood.

“Momentum was cut short in 2023 by the writers’ strike and the actor strikes, which overlapped and caused a work stoppage on almost all of our projects except for reality television,” Thomas said.

Following the labor strikes, major studios began cutting costs, and some projects moved overseas, where production can be cheaper.

Despite those challenges, industry leaders have fought to keep Georgia a highly competitive filming destination.

Read in full at WJCL