American Idol is saying goodbye to Hollywood … at least when it comes to production.
ABC’s long-running singing competition is relocating production from Los Angeles to the Atlanta area, producer Fremantle confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
The move comes as Los Angeles continues to grapple with a shrinking production landscape. FilmLA reported a nearly 13% drop in shoot days from April through June compared with the same period last year, while shoot days also fell 8% from the previous quarter.
California has attempted to make Hollywood more competitive. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation last year increasing the state’s annual film and television tax incentive cap from $330 million to $750 million. However, production incentives offered by Georgia, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia continue to put pressure on California.
Georgia is celebrating a major win with American Idol. The series’ move offers the state a steady production, as Season 24 ran for 16 episodes — potentially providing more consistency than productions that only film on location for a limited time.
The Peach State remains one of the biggest production hubs in the U.S., alongside California and New York. The Georgia film office reported 280 productions filmed in the state during the most recent fiscal year, including Superman, Will Trent, Chad Powers, and Tyler Perry Studios projects.
Los Angeles officials are continuing to push for additional incentives to keep productions in the city. Mayor Karen Bass said in July that she was “doubling down” on efforts to secure an uncapped tax credit and advocated for competition reality shows to qualify for incentives.
