This is the way to persuade Disney to shoot the next “Star Wars” movie in your state.
“The Mandalorian & Grogu” is slated to be the first “Star Wars” feature ever filmed in California thanks to the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, the California Film Commission announced Monday. The big-screen spinoff of the hit Disney+ series “The Mandalorian” will be awarded a tax credit of about $21.8 million to film in the Golden State.
The California Film Commission often uses tax incentives to dissuade film and TV projects from fleeing the state to shoot in Atlanta, Vancouver and other rising production hubs.
“We are thrilled to be shooting the next Star Wars movie … here in California,” a spokesperson for “Star Wars” production company Lucasfilm said in a statement.
“Working with the California Film Commission, we are proud to be creating film jobs in California and excited to start production, utilizing the world class crew available here.”
Filming “The Mandalorian & Grogu” locally will inject $166 million into the California economy through crew member wages and qualified expenditures, the California Film Commission estimated. Directed by “The Mandalorian” creator Jon Favreau, the forthcoming space odyssey will see Pedro Pascal reprise his role as Mando alongside his little green companion better known as Baby Yoda.
“The Mandalorian & Grogu” is one of 15 upcoming local film productions projected by the California Film Commission to boost the state’s economy by $408 million. The government organization also anticipates that about 2,252 crew members, 598 actors and 16,800 background performers will be hired to work for a total of 579 filming days spanning the various projects.
The “Mandalorian” movie alone is expected to employ 54 actors, 3,500 background performers and 500 crew members over the course of a 92-day shoot.
The California Film Commission’s announcement comes at a time when local film and TV jobs are sorely needed, following a mass production slowdown and industry contraction prompted by the overlapping writers’ and actors’ strikes.
In addition to “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” other upcoming productions that qualified for California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program include two untitled Disney movies, a sequel to the 2016 Ben Affleck thriller “The Accountant” and a sci-fi film starring Chris Pratt called “Mercy.”
“These productions, spanning big-budget features to indie films, not only infuse millions into our economy but also showcase our state’s talent and versatility,” said Colleen Bell, executive director of the California Film Commission, in a statement.
“We’re proud to welcome these projects, highlighting California’s resilience and continued prominence in the film industry.”
Carras writes for The Los Angeles Times.