Arizona Expected to Approve $125 Million Tax Credit to Lure Hollywood Production

While on the low end of pre-release projections, “Nope” has earned the highest opening weekend for a film with an original screenplay since Peele’s last film, “Us,” earned a $71 million launch in April 2019. Earning praise from critics for its incisive commentary on Hollywood’s exploitation of people of color and the human obsession with spectacle, “Nope” has posted a higher opening than Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” which opened to $41 million in July 2019.

A federal appeals court ruled today that Georgia’s restrictive 2019 abortion law should be allowed to take effect, overruling a lower court.

Kevin Costner (“Yellowstone”), Harrison Ford (“1923”), Helen Mirren (“1923”) and Sylvester Stallone (“Tulsa King”) are all believed to be receiving handsome paychecks.In the case of “1923” and “Tulsa King,” of course, it’s part of Paramount Global’s investment in turning Paramount+ into a must-have streaming brand. The other recent streamer upstart, Peacock, is shelling out decent-sized salaries (although perhaps not quite like those) for stars like Pete Davidson and Natasha Lyonne.“They’re launching a network, so they have to,” a rep says.

Addie Morfoot Contributor“Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down,” an inspirational story about the former Arizona congresswoman’s fight to recover from an assassination attempt in 2011 and lobby for greater gun safety laws, arrives in theaters July 15 amid a troubling surge in mass shootings across the country, underscoring the scope of her challenge. But Giffords, who struggles to speak due to injuries she incurred in that attack, remains undaunted, even in the wake of the July 4 mass shootings in Illinois and the June 23 Supreme Court decision overturning concealed-carry gun restrictions in New York.

Arizona this week enacted the Arizona Motion Picture Production Program, an annual film and TV tax incentive that will offer qualified productions up to $75 million a year in 2023, $100,000 in 2024, and $125,000 in 2025 and thereafter.

California’s largest county is on course to be labeled a “High” Covid level community in the next seven days. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said today of that outcome, “I think it’s likely next week.” L.A. would join 35 other of the state’s counties that are already there.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterArizona has adopted a new tax credit for film and TV production, as the state aims to attract productions that have gone to New Mexico and other states in recent years.Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, allowed the legislation, HB 2156, to become law without his signature on Wednesday. Ducey’s office declined to comment on the unusual maneuver.The program will provide a refundable credit worth 15% to 20% of qualified production costs, plus additional bonuses for meeting certain criteria.

the $125 million tax credit intended to lure Hollywood film and TV productions to Arizona has become law in the state, having been passed by both houses of the state’s legislature.The bill was not signed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who nevertheless did not veto it.

certainly denies that she intended to suggest she would shoot her grandchildren. Likely that would have been some imaginary, extremely unlikely threat she would need to shoot.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterThe completion of CAA’s acquisition of ICM Partners last month set Hollywood buzzing about the future of the agency world, as the mega consolidation turned the Big Four (CAA, ICM, WME and UTA) into the Big Three.The deal’s 10-month delayed close was immediately followed by news that more than 100 ICM staffers would not make the move over to CAA. While questions about how the integration will continue to impact the internal team remain top of mind, the entertainment industry is also looking for indications about how CAA’s $750 million purchase of ICM will impact everyone else, as well.Speaking with Variety over email, The Gersh Agency senior managing partner Leslie Siebert detailed how she thinks the deal will ultimately benefit mid-sized agencies like her own.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterFor years, Arizona has watched with envy as New Mexico developed a thriving film economy thanks to a generous tax break.So now the state is getting in on the action.Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, is expected to sign a bill this week creating a refundable tax credit equal to 15-20 percent of production expenses.

breaking a decade-old July 4th holiday-weekend box office record and becoming the 11th animated film in box office history and the first since “Frozen II” to earn an opening weekend of over $100 million. The “Minions” sequel tallied $125 million over the four-day holiday weekend, cementing the idea that family audiences feel comfortable returning the theaters in large numbers after a long pandemic-fueled lull.The $400 million global run of Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” this past spring was the first sign that family films were making a comeback, but the struggles of Disney/Pixar’s “Lightyear” last month created some doubt in Hollywood over whether the video game adaptation’s success was a fluke.

Emma Hernan stepped out in a daring outfit while enjoying an evening of theater with Chrishell Stause!

Halsey doubled down on supporting abortion rights Wednesday while responding to fans who left upset from her Sunday night concert in Phoenix, Arizona.  That night, Halsey criticized the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, prompting some fans to leave the show.

An Arizona woman has helped to solve her own murder.

Telling their side of the story. Through the years, former The View cohosts have opened up about their experience on the daytime talk show — and the ups and downs that came with it.