Hollywood’s reaction to Trump’s movie tariffs idea: Confusion, dread and a little hope

Hollywood executives on Monday rushed to explain President Trump’s invitation to obtain a strict tariff for films that were produced outside the United States – a bomb proposal that would raise how to make films for years.

Trump announced on Sunday night that it was allowed to target 100 % on the films “coming to our country that is produced in foreign lands.” The proposal, like many other definitions that Trump imposes, aims to restore the main industry home.

Studios depict many of their feature films in Canada, Britain, Bulgaria, New Zealand and Australia. These countries offer incentives to attract large -scale jobs and get their distinctive features on the large screen.

“The film industry in America dies with a very fast death,” Trump wrote on his social platform. “Hollywood, many other regions within the United States of America, is destroyed.”

Studio executives were arrested.

Many filmmakers want to work in the United States, but they prefer to see its governmental credit credit institute. Many argue that the customs tariff will suspend the demise of the film industry instead of preventing it, because it will increase the costs. In addition, it is not clear how the tariff will actually work.

“No one knows, and I do not doubt that we will get a moment,” said one of the high -level film industry. “Is it locally funded foreign productions? Is it on foreign funded productions?

State Governor Gavin New Zram called for the establishment of a federal film credit program that provides at least $ 7.5 billion of incentives to the governor’s studios in the United States to the White House on Monday evening to encourage Trump to work with California to create federal credit similar to the state program in order to increase local production.

Foreign production incentives in the production economy in Los Angeles, which was suffering from the closure of the Covid-19 epidemic, labor strikes and progress by traditional entertainment companies after losing billions of dollars in broadcasting services to compete with Netflix. Forest fires in Pacific and Altadena have dealt with another setback.

Production of TV programs, feature films and commercial advertisements 22 % decreased during the first three months of the yearCompared to the first quarter of 2024, according to the Filmla non -profit organization.

The main entertainment companies refused to comment. The President’s announcement raised a set of questions, including whether the US -based companies, such as Walt Disney, Warner Bruce Discovery, Amazon and Netflix, are subject to definitions just to film a movie outside the United States

According to data from Motion Picure Assn. The United States runs a $ 15.3 billion commercial surplus with its entertainment exports.

Nick Vias, the founding CEO of the Randal R. “This creates incredible uncertainty in this industry.” “This is the only industry in which we created a great advantage.”

The White House warned on Monday. “No final decisions have been made regarding the tariff of foreign films,” White House spokesman Kush Disi said in a statement.

Some crew leaders clapped Trump’s instinct to protect American jobs.

The head of the General Teamsters Sean M. Operation and Director of the Vocal Photo Department, Lindsay Dogerti, in a statement “Studios chasing cheap production costs abroad while the American workforce that built film and television industry is destroyed.”

But the film’s tariff will be complicated in practice.

Similar to the automotive industry in Detroit, different stages of production often occur outside the United States, such as adding special effects.

The definitions are usually imposed when the product reaches the entry port, and at a time when the registry importer should pay the tax before issuing the item. This will not be possible for movies, which are distributed digitally.

Digital products are not part of the usual tariff system, which makes it difficult to determine its evaluation.

What has increased obstacles, the World Trade Organization also has a standing of taxes on digital trade that will continue until March 2026.

Administration officials are expected to meet with the CEO of the Studio and MPA to search for clarity about whether the definitions will depend on the film’s budget, revenues, theater ticket prices or subscriber fees in the broadcast service.

Another question: Will TV programs, many of which were filmed in Canada and the United Kingdom?

“This is not a small thing,” Frank Albarilla, a media and communications executive at KPMG Consulting Company. “It can be really troubled by the industry.”

The call to enhance US production comes after Trump took advantage of the trio of actors – John Voett, Silster Stallone and Mile Gibson – to be for him “Special ambassadors” To Hollywood.

Voett and his director, Stephen Paul, traveled to Florida to make a plan for Trump during a personal meeting last weekend in Mar Lago.

The plan was developed after its meeting with Hollywood unions, studios and broadcasting, and has taken multiple possible ways to help American films. These federal tax incentives, joint production treaties with other countries, infrastructure support, work training, and “tariff in some limited conditions”, according to a statement issued by the production company in Paul.

“The American cinema industry, and Hollywood, is a beacon to teach the American dream of the world and it is an engine for job growth and job opportunity,” Paul said in the statement.

It was a White House official that it was Trump who reached the customs tariff plan.

Congress leaders have warned that the customs tariff was not the best way to enhance the American film industry.

“If President Trump is serious about maintaining the dominant American cinema industry and maintaining production functions in the United States,” said MP Laura Friedman (D-Glendale)and A former cinematic producer, “I invite him to join me in fighting for national tax credit for films that measure the stadium with external incentives.”

Fugitive production is decades -old, but leaders say that its effect on California has reached a crisis point.

Like programs like Netflix “Bridgerton”, movies including Universal’s “Wicked”, “How To Your Dragon”, and Warner Bruce.

In addition to the low labor costs, studios moved abroad to give the local flavor to the public in those continents. Films often collect up to 60 % of their revenues from international fans.

Some experts have warned that imposing a strict tariff can invite mutual fees from other regions.

The news can also be weakened at the Cannes Film Festival in France next week due to uncertainty in the proposed policy.

Peter Marshall, the main director of insurance services on the Epic Insurance, said that the senior debt lenders expressed concern about how this affects the distribution.

Marshall said: “If you want a time for the bomb statement to thwart the independent film sector, you will say that now, before the largest market in the world,” Marshall said. “I think this will be almost certain to meet great luster on it.”

Times from the staff book Michael Wellner, Stacy Ferram, Tarin Luna Wendi Lee contributed to this report.