The 100% Trump price on films made abroad: Hollywood is “dead”, as it claims | News explained
President Donald Trump on Monday announced its intention to impose 100% tariffs on product films abroad and distributed in the country. In accordance with his program in America, he said that the American cinema industry “died a very rapid death” while the filmmakers and the studios have moved away from domestic production, driven by incentives offered by other countries.
In an article on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump described it as “concerted effort by other nations and, consequently, a threat of national security”. “Hollywood and many other areas in the United States are devastated,” he said.
“I authorize the Ministry of Commerce and the US representative, immediately starting the institute process a 100% rate on all the films that enter our country which are produced at foreign land. We want films made in America, once again! (Sic), “said Trump.
Trump’s announcement comes in the context of the volley of prices launched by the American president, including a coverage rate of 10% on all countries exporting to the United States and a 145% levy on Chinese imports. While Trump extends his trade war to the film industry, let's take a look at what's going on with Hollywood.
Good
The American film industry has a positive trade balance with all the world markets, according to the motion Picture Association, a group representing the main studio houses and streaming services such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon-MGM Studios and Paramount, among others.
In its latest report, the group noted that the film and television industry had exported more than three times what it imported in 2023. In other words, the American film industry has made a lot of money by exporting its products – 22.6 billion USD.
The group also said that the film and television industry had contributed to 279 billion dollars to the country's economy and generated 8.56 lakh of jobs at the national level, including production, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of films, television and video content. It was less than the jobs of more than 9 Lakh that she generated in 2022, but more than the 8.22 Lakh jobs that she created in 2021.
The bad
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Although the data show that the American cinema and television industries are going up in high income in the world, there is an increasing concern while the production moves from Hollywood in cheaper places.
For example, Deadpool and WolverineThe most profitable film in the United States in 2024 after Inside out 2 And Walt Disney production was mainly shot in the United Kingdom and Canada. In the same way, A minecraft filmWho ranks like the most profitable film of 2025 so far, produced by Warner Bros, has been filmed mainly in New Zealand.
The national industry already had trouble recovering from the losses in pandemic when the two strikes by unions of screenwriters and actors in 2023 struck operations more. The unions were fighting for better salary and contracts, among other questions.
In 2024, massive forest fires struck Los Angeles, destroying filming keys. To make things worse, several behind -the -scenes workers, such as cameras operators, sound technicians and costume designers, have been moved from southern California.
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Filmla, a non -profit organization associated with the municipality of Los Angeles, noted that the global production in the largest Los Angeles was 5.6% lower in 2024 in 2023.
Seeking to reduce costs, filmmakers and studios prefer filming in places that offer tax incentives and cheaper workforce. A report by Outlook in 2025 published by ProdPro, a private research firm, indicates that outside the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany has become Hollywood Filming Hubs.
While the United States has always exceeded graphics, representing $ 14.54 billion in 2024, it was 26% less than production expenditure in 2022.
A survey of studio leaders by ProdPro revealed that their best production choices were all outside the United States: Toronto, United Kingdom, Vancouver, Central Europe and Australia (in this order). California was ranked sixth, New Jersey was eighth and New York, ninth.
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Will prices help Hollywood?
Last year, California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed to increase the tax incentive regime to USD 750 million per year, against the current USD 330 million in order to bring back business to the state. New York governor Kathy Hochul also said she wanted to double the tax credit for films in the state at USD 800 million. Texas, meanwhile, aims to increase its tax credits to 450 million USD per year for films and USD 48 million for television production.
These credits essentially allow filmmakers to raft part of their taxes and to release the budget for distribution, crew and other expenses.
While states seek to speed up interior production with discounts, Trump has chosen the tariff road. However, it is not clear how the Trump administration would impose prices, since large budget films generally extend through locations inside and outside the United States. Would the tax be imposed on cinema tickets at the theater or also on streaming platforms? Would the tax be based on production costs or box office income? These questions remain unanswered to date.
His announcement aroused fears of reprisals from other countries. Increased prices on the distribution of American films can reduce their markets and reach income.
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Around the world, the 10 best most profitable films in 2024 have all been produced by American Studios, according to the numbers of numbers. In the United States, the 50 best films had no foreign production film.
