Following a near 400% increase in applications, the program welcomes new Hulu drama from Dan Fogelman, new Larry David series and season two of Lionsgate’s Emmy-nominated “The Studio”
What you need to know: Following Governor Newsom’s historic expansion of the Film and Television Tax Credit Program, 22 television projects are set to generate an estimated $1.1 billion in economic activity and employ 6,500 cast and crew across California.
August 27, 2025 - SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the approval of 22 new television projects through the California Film Commission’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. This marks the first round of tax credits since the Governor’s historic expansion of the program in July, which more than doubled the available funding for qualified film and television productions. Compared to the previous round for television projects, this round saw a nearly 400% increase in applications.
“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. This program means paychecks for middle-class workers, opportunities for small businesses and investment in communities up and down the state. We’re not just protecting our legacy — we’re reminding the world why the Golden State remains the beating heart of film and television.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
Lionsgate’s (AppleTV distribution) Emmy-nominated series “The Studio,” one of nearly two-dozen projects awarded funding in today’s announcement.
Together, these shows are projected to generate $1.1 billion in spending across the Golden State, including $714 million in qualified expenditures and $413 million in qualified wages. The productions will account for more than 1,100 filming days statewide, a major boost to local economies up and down California.
“The Film and Television Tax Credit Program is meeting the challenge of creating jobs and keeping productions here at home,” said Colleen Bell, Executive Director of the California Film Commission. “These 22 television projects will employ thousands of Californians and generate hundreds of millions for our state’s economy. Most importantly, they will keep world-class talent and crews here, ensuring California drives the future of storytelling.”
Powering the state’s creative economy
These 22 television shows are a combination of five renewals, two productions relocating to California and 15 new series, including one limited series and three pilots. Collectively, the projects are expected to employ 6,500 cast and crew members, along with 46,100 background performers (measured in days worked). While most filming will take place in Los Angeles, four projects will shoot at least partially outside the region.
Highlights from this latest round of awards include:
New pilots and returning series
- A new Hulu drama series from “This Is Us” and “Paradise” creator Dan Fogelman from 20th Television
- A new HBO series by Larry David
- Second seasons of Lionsgate’s (AppleTV distribution) Emmy-nominated “The Studio” and Warner Bros. Television’s (Apple TV+ distribution) Emmy-nominated “Presumed Innocent”
- Sony Picture Television’s “S.W.A.T. EXILES”
- CBS Studios’ “NCIS: Origins”
- “Group Chat”, a new 20th Television pilot for Hulu from Kenya Barris
Relocating series
- Tom Segura’s Netflix series “Bad Thoughts”, is relocating from Texas
“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. As an LA 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. Not only does this credit allow us to work with the best crews and craftspeople around but, more importantly, it allows us to create jobs and support the LA film community at a time when it’s more important than ever.” – “Group Chat” creator, executive producer and showrunner Kenya Barris
“This bold program, designed by the California Film Commission, is incredibly clever and allows us to keep our film and TV productions in our preferred shooting destination – California. The state’s diverse locations and unmatched infrastructure provide everything we need for any project and pave the way for the creation of hundreds of jobs on every shoot, which is something we’re incredibly proud of. We’re thankful to be amongst those selected to participate in the program and are excited to begin production on the next installments of our ‘True to the Game’ and ‘Angel’ franchises, right here in California this year.” – Producer and executive producer Manny Halley
See the full list of productions that are part of the Film and Television Tax Credit Program here.
About the Film and Television Tax Credit Program
The Film and Television Tax Credit Program provides tax credits based on qualified expenditures for eligible productions made in California. Since its launch in 2009, the program has approved 807 projects that have generated nearly $29 billion in economic activity.
To ensure the state remains the global leader in the entertainment industry, recent enhancements to the program include raising the base tax credit rate to 35%, doubling the total allocation to $750 million, broadening eligibility to include a wider, more diverse range of productions, and strengthening support for independent films to improve accessibility.
The program reduces runaway production, supports career pathways for below-the-line workers, and expands opportunities across rural, suburban, and urban communities. Additional incentives are offered for projects that film outside Los Angeles or relocate from out of state.
The next round of feature film and independent production applications will be accepted August 25–27, 2025. Application dates and deadlines are posted on the California Film Commission website.
Source: Office of the Governor
