New ‘Jumanji’ movie among 52 films awarded California film tax credits

A new “Jumanji” movie is among 52 film projects that were awarded production incentives for shooting in the Golden State, the California Film Commission said Tuesday.

In addition to the “Jumanji” film, which was allocated $43.9 million in tax credits, nine studio and non-independent film projects were chosen, including Michael Mann’s “Heat 2” ($104 million), Netflix’s “The Fifth Wheel” ($14.8 million) and an untitled project from the producers of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” ($38.4 million).

All told, the films were allocated about $334 million in tax credits and are estimated to generate $1.4 billion of economic activity in California, employing about 8,900 cast and crew members and more than 46,000 background actors, according to the commission.

“The film and television industry is the cornerstone of California’s creative economy — revitalizing the job opportunities, business growth and economic prosperity for families,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “These investments reaffirm that California isn’t just where stories are told, it’s where the future of storytelling is built.”

“We are delighted to be able to bring a large, old school, big screen movie to shoot in California, thanks to the newly expanded California tax credit,” Tom Rothman, chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “The resultant work will bring jobs and revenue into the state at a much needed time and will help the filmmakers make the very best film possible.”

Forty-two independent film projects were awarded tax credits, including “Epiphany” starring Bill Murray and Kristen Wiig and the Taika Waititi-produced “The Incredible Heist of Hallelujah Jones,” which stars Janelle Monáe.

The 52 film projects are the first movies to receive tax credits since the state bolstered its production incentive program this summer.

Citing the effects of so-called runaway production, the 2023 dual writers’ and actors’ strikes and the Southern California wildfires earlier this year, a coalition of Hollywood studios, unions and small businesses lobbied the California Legislature to more than double the annual amount allocated to the program and expand the eligibility criteria.

In the last round designated for TV shows and series, applications increased nearly 400%. Twenty-two shows were ultimately selected for the tax credits.