Hollywood unions' report finds US share of film and TV production spending fell over 25 years
A coalition of Hollywood unions released an EY-prepared report saying the US share of major-studio production spending fell from 74% to 42% for film and from 94% to 64% for TV over 25 years. It comes as Congress weighs a federal production incentive.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1A coalition of Hollywood unions issued a report on Monday 5 October 2026 warning that the US has lost significant market share in film and TV production over the last 25 years. VarietyLC “A coalition of Hollywood unions issued a report on Monday warning that the U.S. has lost significant market share in film and TV production over the last 25 years.” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2The report found that the share of major-studio film production budgets spent in the US fell from 74% to 42% (1999 to 2024), and the TV share from 94% to 64%. VarietyLC “studios spent 74% of their film production budgets in the U.S. 25 years ago, but that the figure has since declined to 42%. On the TV side, the figure has fallen from 94% to 64%.” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “From 1999 to 2024, the share of production spending by major U.S. studios on movies filmed either partially or primarily within the country declined 32 percentage points from 74% to 42%.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Other measures show smaller falls: the share of major-studio films shot partially or primarily in the US dropped from 66% to 54%, and the share of TV episodes from 96% to 70%. The share of cast and crew on such films fell from 72% to 43%, and on TV from 86% to 58%. DeadlineN “declined 12 points from 66% to 54%. TV episodes have seen a 26-point decline from 96% of television episodes by major U.S. studios filmed partially or primarily in the U.S. to just 70%.”“declined 29 points from 72% to 43%. For TV, the share is down 28 points from 86% to 58%.” Read at Deadline ↗
Left · 1Variety reports that big-budget films account for much of the shift: for the 25 most expensive films, the US share fell from 74% to 34%, and those films were a quarter of major-studio films but half of the crew and two-thirds of the budgets. VarietyLC “For the 25 most expensive films, the U.S. market share declined from 74% to 34% over the 25-year span.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1The report acknowledges that overall production grew considerably, so the US has a smaller piece of a much larger pie: major-studio film spending rose from $3 billion to $7 billion a year and TV spending from $933 million to $8.4 billion, according to Variety. VarietyLC “overall production spending by major studios rose from $3 billion to $7 billion annually in the last 25 years. And in TV, spending exploded from $933 million to $8.4 billion over the same span.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1It argues that had the US share held constant, an additional $4 billion a year would be spent on US film and TV production. It does not try to explain why production moved overseas, and it notes that streaming has made TV comparisons across periods difficult. VarietyLC “if U.S. market share had held constant over the last 25 years, an additional $4 billion would be spent each year on TV and film production in the U.S.”“The report is also limited in that it does not attempt to explain why production has shifted overseas — only to quantify the shift.” Read at Variety ↗
Centre · 1The study was commissioned by the DGA, IATSE, LIUNA, SAG-AFTRA, the Teamsters, WGAE and WGAW, and covers scripted, live-action productions with budgets of at least $5 million for films and $1 million for TV episodes under 41 minutes ($1.7 million for longer ones). DeadlineN “commissioned by the Directors Guild of America (DGA), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA)”“budgets of at least $5 million for feature films and $1 million for TV episodes under 41 minutes or $1.7 million for longer episodes.” Read at Deadline ↗ Left · 1Variety says the report was prepared by EY. VarietyLC “the union report, prepared by EY, takes a longer-term view” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1The unions said that, read with the Motion Picture Association's recent study, the findings show America will keep losing ground unless action is taken. DeadlineN “unless action is taken America will continue to lose ground in retaining this industry and the middle-class jobs it provides,” the unions said in a statement on Monday.” Read at Deadline ↗
Mixed · 2The MPA's report last month argued a federal incentive would add $22 billion in annual domestic production spending by 2035, according to Variety; Deadline says the MPA put the benefit of a 20% stackable federal credit at $250 billion in additional gross economic value. VarietyLC “a federal incentive would generate an additional $22 billion in annual domestic production spending by 2035.” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “could create $250 billion in additional gross economic value” Read at Deadline ↗ Left · 1The report lands as Congress considers a 20%-30% federal production incentive. Sen. Adam Schiff and California Democrats introduced a federal credit last month, President Trump backed the idea in August, and the unions plan a rally in Glendale on Tuesday; backers hope to pass it by year-end. VarietyLC “as Congress is considering whether to offer a 20%-30% production incentive to revive the domestic film and TV industry.”“With support from President Trump, who came out in favor of the idea in August, backers are hoping to pass the incentive into law by the end of the year.” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1Deadline adds that major studios including Marvel and Lucasfilm have moved virtually all high-budget production overseas, and that Paramount, Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal did the same for tentpoles such as Barbie, Wicked and Sonic the Hedgehog. DeadlineN “the exodus of major studios like Marvel and Lucasfilm, which have moved virtually all high-budget production overseas including for the upcoming Avengers films.” Read at Deadline ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Variety treats the report as a data-driven piece set in the legislative context of the proposed federal incentive, noting caveats about its limits.
- Emphasis
- Long-term globalisation, growth of the overall market, the report's limitations, the Schiff-led rally and Trump's support.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the cast-and-crew or episode-count shares or name every commissioning union.
- Charged language
- “a smaller piece of a much larger pie”
- For example
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“The report acknowledges that production has grown considerably over that period — so the U.S. is taking a smaller piece of a much larger pie.” — Variety
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Deadline frames the report as another alarm bell that US production is on the brink, with industry examples of studios filming abroad.
- Emphasis
- Worker impact, studio examples, full list of commissioning unions and the MPA study.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the report's acknowledgement that overall production grew, its stated limits, EY, or the congressional incentive details and Trump's backing.
- Charged language
- “Another alarm bell”“on the brink”“exodus”
- For example
-
“Another alarm bell went off Monday on the state of U.S.-based film and television production” — Deadline
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The unions' report found the US share of major-studio film production spending fell from 74% to 42% and TV from 94% to 64%.
- The study covers only productions above set budget thresholds ($5M films, $1M TV episodes under 41 minutes, $1.7M longer).
- The report follows a Motion Picture Association study that backed a federal production incentive.
Hollywood unions organisation
The unions say the findings, with the MPA study, show the US will keep losing ground and middle-class jobs without action.
“unless action is taken America will continue to lose ground in retaining this industry and the middle-class jobs it provides” — Deadline
Left1 article
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Hollywood Unions Warn of 25-Year Decline in U.S. Production Market Share
Neutral Explanatory news piece giving figures, caveats and the policy context of the federal incentive.
Centre1 article
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Hollywood Unions Warn U.S. Film & TV Production Is On The Brink In Latest Economic Report
Alarmist Presents the report as a further warning that US production is on the brink, stressing job losses and studio moves overseas.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 20:00 First VarietyLC Hollywood Unions Warn of 25-Year Decline in U.S. Production Market Share
- 5 Oct 21:19 +1h 20m DeadlineN Hollywood Unions Warn U.S. Film & TV Production Is On The Brink In Latest Economic Report
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.