Jordan Peele, The Russo Brothers & More Bringing Their Next Films to California

Not all film news needs to be bad film news. In what we’re hoping is a sign of optimism and good old business acumen, some of Hollywood’s biggest directors and stars are banking on making their movies in California. While the entertainment industry has been upended by the ramifications of COVID-19 and the shuttering of productions across the globe, there is a slew of big features and intriguing projects planned for production in the Golden State.

The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop from the California film commission, which announced the five studio films and four indies that were approved to receive tax credits from the state’s incentives program. Those films include Jordan Peele’s next movie, an untitled project that represents the first of his two films in part of his first-look deal with Universal Pictures. Peele’s untitled project will be his third major feature after his masterpiece debut Get Out and his stunning sophomore effort Us. (Peele also produced and co-wrote Nia DaCosta‘s hotly-anticipated reboot Candyman, tentatively due in theaters on October 16.)

Also planning on a big California production are Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The MCU-alums are filming their Netflix action-thriller Gray Man in the state, starring their old pal Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling, for Netflix.

The other projects coming to California include Octavia Spencer’s sci-fi thriller Invasion for Amazon, Jessica Chastain’s drama Losing Clementine (based on Ashley Ream’s novel of the same name), Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s upcoming horror-comedy, and the sports drama Sweetwater, about Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, the first Black player in the NBA.

THR reports that for Gray Man alone, the state is expected “to bring in an estimated $102 million in below-the-line wages and other qualified expenditures,” which would be second only to Captain Marvel in terms of spending within the state. THR reports that, in total, these nine films are on track to generate nearly $284 million in qualified in-state expenditures. They’re also slated to employ around 1,340 crew members, 342 cast members, and a whopping 14,397 background actors and stand-ins. The total combined number of filming days exceeds a year—374 days worth of shooting. And this, THR adds, doesn’t even include the post-production jobs and revenue the films will bring in.

“After announcing two relocating TV series earlier this month, our new tax credit program continues to get off to a great start with today’s list of film projects,” California film commission executive director Colleen Bell told THR. “Production activity is ramping back up in California amid COVID-19 with safety remaining a top priority, and Program 3.0 is attracting the kind of big-budget films that will generate a considerable amount of jobs and in-state spending.”

Featured image: Writer-producer-director Jordan Peele on the set of his film, “Us.”