The U.S. Has Been Losing Movie and TV Production for Years. Where Have Lawmakers Been?

A few numbers to consider when thinking about the current state of Hollywood: Nearly half of all film and scripted series shot outside the United States last year; Los Angeles County lost more than 42,000 entertainment jobs from 2022 to 2024; and Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery made just 15 theatrical movies combined that filmed in the country over the last two years.

The narrative that the U.S. is losing its grip as the production capital of the world took centerstage at a hearing on Friday in Burbank City Hall convened by Sen. Adam Schiff, who’s looking to build support for a federal tax incentive to bring jobs back stateside. “The urgency cannot be greater,” he said, before proceeding to call out “unprecedented consolidation” in Hollywood as Paramount Skydance looks to acquire Warner Bros.