SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Georgia was the place to make movies a few years ago, but the productions are moving overseas.

The Wall Street Journal reported that big names like Marvel Studios are packing up and moving their projects to places like Europe, where labor costs are lower.

According to the Savannah Regional Film Commission, 2022 was a great year for the industry with 16 feature films set in the area. That number down to eight films in 2024 and three so far in 2025.

While Georgia does have beautiful locations and some tax incentives, experts like casting director Bill Marinella believe producers are moving projects where the money is.

“I think health has probably been a big motivating factor,” Marinella said. “You figure you’ve got various ages from like 18 years to maybe 65 or 70… all those health care premiums that they pay into. They go across seas to Europe; they don’t have those health care premiums. That all adds up.”

Marinella has been in the business for about 30 years, and he said he’s seen it change drastically. He’s finding himself traveling more and more for work to follow the “tax credit circus” as he called it.

“I really have to hustle to find work. The tax credits make it easier for us to find work, but you have to uproot and leave. It’s really been unnerving,” Marinella said.

Things could be looking up here in Georgia with the recently reinstated postproduction tax credit, effective Jan. 1. This would give editing, visual effects, and sound companies incentives in the Peach State.

“I hope that we can figure out a way to get the work back here. I fear that it may be gone for quite a while, but Hollywood will always rebound wherever the money is,” Marinella said.