One theme that you hear from many industry commentators these days is just how empty Hollywood is right now. The huge studio complexes with their vast sound stages are laying dormant.
Screenwriter David Scarpa was widely quoted in the press, talking about how the whole town now feels empty, with only a few sitcoms and scripted TV shows occupying the once buzzing studio lots.
Feature productions have moved to US states with better tax landscapes, or abroad to the UK, or even Australia.
Rumors of Hollywood’s demise are legion. It is still a major production hub, but now as few as 18% of major film and television projects make use of the town and its facilities.
Against this backdrop comes news that Hollywood, Los Angeles, and California as a whole won’t like.
Paramount-Skydance may well be packing up and leaving California, taking Warner Bros. with it if the merger goes ahead.
California filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the studio and the merger, and now both TMZ and Deadline are reporting that they ain’t bluffing!
Paramount leadership have informed key state officials that they are preparing a move to Texas, Tennessee, or Georgia.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and state Attorney General Rob Bonta have been told that the “deposit has been put down on the moving trucks”.
A spokesperson for Bonta gave a statement, saying:
“We cannot comment on a company’s plans. It’s no secret that Paramount has been making this threat, despite its alleged commitment to California and Hollywood. What Paramount decides to do is Paramount’s choice alone. We’ll continue to apply the law without fear or favor and continue to be open to coming to the table for good faith discussions.”
With a 30 movie a year commitment made to exhibitors, it may not be a fast movie unless they take over existing studio space outside of the state.
