As Hollywood continues to look beyond California for cost-effective production hubs, Illinois is emerging as one of the fastest-rising film and television states in the country, now gaining ground on longtime powerhouse Georgia, according to new fourth-quarter 2025 data from industry tracker ProdPro.
In Q4, Illinois saw a 70 percent year-over-year increase in film and TV projects, while production spending climbed 46 percent, a surge that places the state among the top growth markets nationwide. By contrast, Georgia, which has dominated domestic production for much of the past decade, recorded year-over-year declines in both filming volume and spend, signaling a shift in momentum. California recorded a 20 percent year-over-year decline in projects filmed and a 22 percent drop in production spending.
The surge reflects Illinois’ growing appeal to studios seeking a balance of strong incentives, experienced crews, and urban production versatility. The state is already home to NBC’s long-running Dick Wolf franchise, including Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med, as well as FX’s Emmy-winning series The Bear, which has helped elevate Chicago’s global production profile.
Industry indicators had hinted at this momentum for months. Payroll data showed a significant rise in background actor bookings throughout 2025, signaling a pipeline of incoming work. The latest ProdPro report confirms that Illinois is now closing the gap with long-established production states such as Georgia, which saw year-over-year declines in both project count and spending during the same period.
The broader U.S. production landscape remains competitive and volatile. Overall domestic production fell 4 percent in the fourth quarter, with total spend down 8 percent to $4.2 billion, as producers increasingly weigh global options, including Canada and the United Kingdom, both of which posted double-digit growth. But while the industry contracts in aggregate, Illinois is expanding, benefiting from the ongoing redistribution of film and television work.
New York and New Jersey also posted gains, driven by massive studio investments and incentive programs, but Illinois’ growth stands out for arriving without splashy billion-dollar studio campuses. Instead, the state’s rise reflects steady policy, proven crews, and a production ecosystem that is already delivering hits.
As California works to stabilize its production economy with expanded tax credits, Illinois is seizing the moment. The numbers suggest that the state is no longer just a dependable TV town but an increasingly strategic destination for high-volume, high-value film and television production.
Hollywood may still be headquartered on the West Coast, but the production race in the Midwest is accelerating, and Illinois is gaining fast. Maybe we should relabel this section as “REEL PROUDUCTION!”
ALSO READ:
Forge Viritual Studios opens Chicago-area virtual production facility
