Marvel Studios’ decision to relocate major film productions from Georgia to the United Kingdom has triggered a collapse in local industry spending and left thousands of crew members scrambling for work.
At a Glance
- Marvel Studios has shifted productions including The Fantastic Four: First Steps, future Avengers films, and new Spider-Man installments to the U.K.
- Film and television production spending in Georgia has fallen by nearly 50 percent since 2022.
- Georgia’s once-thriving workforce of crew members and tradespeople faces layoffs and income loss.
- Trilith Studios, Georgia’s flagship facility, now reports underutilized stages.
- California, Texas, and other states are offering expanded tax breaks to lure productions away.
Georgia’s Golden Era Fades
For more than a decade, Georgia marketed itself as the “Hollywood of the South,” drawing productions with tax incentives worth up to 30 percent of qualifying expenses. At its peak, Marvel filmed nearly its entire catalog of blockbuster superhero titles in Fayette County at Trilith Studios, creating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity.
Watch now: Marvel Leaves Georgia: Why Disney Is Taking Jobs to the UK · YouTube
But the tide has turned. Rising labor costs, coupled with the United Kingdom’s attractive subsidies and lower wage obligations, have shifted Marvel’s calculus. In fiscal 2022, Georgia hosted 412 large-scale film and TV projects; by June 2025, that number had dropped to just 245. Spending has nearly halved in three years, signaling a contraction unseen since before Georgia’s film boom began.
The Workers Caught in the Middle
The exodus has left individuals such as Janine Gosselin, a 62-year-old script supervisor who once earned over $200,000 annually, suddenly scrambling. She has dipped into retirement funds to stay afloat and is retraining as an intimacy coordinator to remain employable.
Others, from carpenters to caterers, are reporting underemployment, with many considering leaving the industry altogether. The job losses ripple through local communities where entire economies once revolved around production schedules.
For freelance crews, the departure has been especially damaging. Without steady contracts, skilled tradespeople have been forced to move into unrelated sectors. Union representatives warn that if productions do not return in significant volume, Georgia’s labor pool will atrophy, weakening the state’s ability to attract future projects.
Trilith Studios in Limbo
At the center of this downturn is Trilith Studios, a sprawling facility that once buzzed with Marvel activity. Today, soundstages sit idle, and ancillary businesses—such as catering companies and prop rental shops—are reporting steep revenue declines. Executives insist the downturn is cyclical and predict recovery around 2027, but acknowledge the immediate hit has been severe. In the interim, Trilith is diversifying into education, live events, and digital media to sustain revenue streams.
The Bigger Battle Over Incentives
Georgia’s film boom was born of generous subsidies, but those advantages are eroding. Competing markets like California and Texas are expanding their own incentive programs, while the United Kingdom’s system, paired with lower employment costs, has made London a new hub for Marvel. Analysts note that states heavily dependent on subsidies risk volatility when studios adjust their global strategies.
Some lawmakers argue Georgia should raise or restructure its incentive cap to maintain competitiveness. Others warn against deeper subsidies, citing budgetary strain and limited long-term returns. As studios chase the best financial package, workers in Georgia remain the ones most vulnerable to sudden shifts in policy and corporate priorities.
What Comes Next?
For Georgia, the question is whether the “Hollywood of the South” identity can be sustained without Marvel’s pipeline. While smaller productions and television series continue, the loss of tentpole blockbusters marks a dramatic turning point. Competing states and countries will continue to leverage aggressive tax policies, but Georgia’s experience illustrates the fragility of industries built on subsidy competition. For now, Marvel’s new world is in London, leaving thousands in Georgia wondering whether their days in the spotlight are over.
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