President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as special ambassadors for Hollywood, aiming to garner domestic film and TV productions in the USA, as the industry increasingly looks overseas for filming locations.

“They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” Trump wrote on Thursday in a Truth Social post. “These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!”

This development indicates that Trump might address the growing trend of productions moving abroad due to more attractive tax incentives offered by countries like the U.K., Canada, and Australia.

A potential response from the U.S. could be the introduction of a federal production tax incentive, which has been advocated for by various industry groups.

The specific duties of Voight, Gibson, and Stallone in this initiative remain unclear.

This announcement comes shortly after California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a budget that significantly increases the state’s tax credits for films and TV shows, raising them from $330 million to $750 million annually. This move positions California to disburse up to $3.75 billion in tax credits to the industry over the next five years, starting in 2025, making it one of the most substantial subsidies nationwide, second only to Georgia.

Meanwhile, the U.K. continues to attract major films with its tax incentives, which include rebates on salaries for stars like Scarlett Johansson and Tom Cruise, as long as these expenses are incurred within the U.K. The country’s generous definition of qualifying expenditures makes it a favorable location for large-scale productions.

Canada and Australia are also gaining traction as centers for visual effects and post-production work, offering incentives over 30 percent.

In the U.S., states like Illinois are enhancing their tax credit programs to attract more varied productions, including reality TV and talk shows, which could further support domestic production if a federal tax incentive is introduced, allowing for the combination of federal and state benefits.

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