DC chief James Gunn wants to shoot more films in Georgia after ‘Superman’

“I have the power to do that,” Gunn told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently by phone. “Most filmmakers do not.”

Credit: Courtesy of DC

Credit: Courtesy of DC

“Superman” spent several months at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville last year and also featured scenes in Macon, where the city’s Terminal Station was converted into The Daily Planet newsroom.

The Hollywood Reporter, writing about the escalating costs of big tent movies, said DC Studios estimated the cost of making “Superman” at a net $225 million after incentives and tax breaks.

He also moved HBO Max’s DC Universe TV series “Peacemaker” starring John Cena from Vancouver to metro Atlanta. The second season returns next month.

Gunn first came to metro Atlanta when he directed “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2″ in 2016 at what was then called Pinewood Studios Atlanta, followed by “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3″ in 2021 and 2022 when the studio’s name had changed to Trilith. He fell in love with the area.

So Gunn bought a home for $1.3 million in Fayette County in 2018, according to the Robb Report. (He also recently purchased Mia Farrow’s Bel Air home in the Los Angeles area for $8.5 million.)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Since 2008, Georgia has offered TV and film companies a transferable, uncapped tax credit on up to 30% of qualified expenditures. For a time, it was one of the most generous credit system in the world and drew big budget movies to the state including two “Hunger Games” movies, two “Jumanji” films, the “Shazam!” sequel and a multitude of Marvel films like “Ant-Man” and “Black Panther.”

But in recent years, the United Kingdom has become a more appealing home for movies with budgets over $100 million. Like Georgia, the U.K. has no limits on its credit, and there are fewer unions in the U.K. than the United States, reducing labor costs.

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

As a result, Marvel Studios has largely moved production to the U.K. The recently released “Thunderbolts” was the final movie Marvel committed to filming at Trilith for the time being, and the studio last fall held a massive auction of props and related items. After shooting the past two “Avengers” films at Trilith, Marvel has moved the latest “Avengers” film to London.

Georgia has seen a major drop off in TV and film production over the past two years. The Georgia film office currently has 28 active productions listed on its website compared to 40 or 50 during the state’s busier times.

Gunn is well aware of the shifting economic sands. In 2023, DC Studios expanded its presence in London. “Supergirl,” set to debut in 2026, recently wrapped production England and Scotland.

“It’s hard to compete with England,” Gunn acknowledged. “I’ve had to convince people to shoot in Georgia even if it cost more. It’s worth it for the quality of the crews I get here.”

Georgia domestically competes with several states for business including New York, California, New Jersey and New Mexico, largely chasing mid-budget movies and a variety of TV series. Several states have been enhancing their credits in response to Europe’s enhanced positioning.

New York’s tax credit this year expanded to $800 million a year from $700 million in 2024. California recently increased its annual cap from $450 million to $750 million.

Georgia this year reinstated a tax credit for postproduction expenditures in film and television but did not make any changes to its core credit.

Gunn said DC Studios has not committed any upcoming projects in Georgia, including his next film, “Clayface.” But he would love to keep at least part of the movie in metro Atlanta.

“I’m going to do all I can to keep shooting here,” he said.