Walt Disney Co.’s “Phineas and Ferb,” “The Simpsons Movie 2” and an untitled DreamWorks movie are the first animated feature films to receive a California tax credit under the state’s updated incentive program.
The movies are among the 38 projects chosen in the latest round of the production incentive program, the California Film Commission said Thursday.
In total, the productions are expected to employ more than 5,300 cast and crew members, more than 20,800 background actors and generate nearly $800 million in economic activity throughout the state.
Together, the projects will involve 1,019 shoot days, with more than 45% happening outside of the Southern California region.
“We’re seeing the real-world economic impact of this program reach communities across the entire state,” Colleen Bell, director of the California Film Commission, said in a statement. “That’s what this program is about: creating good-paying jobs and supporting local businesses, while bolstering California’s creative economy in regions across the state.”
In addition to “Phineas and Ferb,” which received $3.5 million in credits, and Disney-owned 20th Century Studios’ “The Simpsons Movie 2,” which was awarded $21.9 million, other awardees include Netflix’s upcoming reboot of “13 Going on 30” ($10.9 million), a film from Laverne Cox called “Black is Blue” ($1.3 million) and the Will Ferrell-produced “Self Help” ($2.6 million).
An untitled Paramount crime thriller received the highest amount — $25.9 million — while DreamWorks’ untitled animated film received $24.7 million in credit allocation.
DreamWorks Animation Chief Operating Officer Randy Lake said the tax incentive would have a “massive impact” on the film’s budget and allow the studio to hire more local talent.
Animated movies and shows became eligible for California’s film and TV tax incentive after the state bolstered its program last year. In recent years, other countries such as Ireland and Canada have added special tax incentives targeting animated projects, luring productions out of the U.S.
