The producers of the indie film “Along Came the Devil 2,” which is currently filming in Georgia, have pledged to donate proceeds from their project to charity to oppose the anti-abortion “heartbeat bill” signed into law this week in Georgia.
Jason DeVan, the writer, director and producer of “Along Came the Devil 2,” and producer Heather DeVan said in a statement to TheWrap they would donate a portion of the film’s proceeds to ACLU of Georgia and Fair Fight Georgia.
“We stand behind the women of Georgia and their fundamental right to choose. As we come to a close to our production of ‘Along Came the Devil 2,’ we want to show our support by donating a portion of the proceeds from the film to ACLU of Georgia and Fair Fight Georgia,” the producers said. “Georgia is our home state. We have built a loving family here with our three kids along with our extended family – our hardworking and dedicated production crew. Together — we unite to fight this injustice.”
Earlier on Friday, J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot Productions and Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions said they would donate “100% of our respective episodic fees” for the season they are currently filming of HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” in Georgia.
“Governor Kemp’s ‘Fetal Heartbeat’ Abortion Law is an unconstitutional effort to further restrict women and their health providers from making private medical decisions on their terms. Make no mistake, this is an attack aimed squarely and purposely at women,” Abrams and Peele said in a statement.
At least five other production companies have publicly opposed or boycotted Georgia after Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a bill that bans abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy — though the legislation does include exceptions to save the life of the mother or for rape or incest if the mother files a police report. The law would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020 unless it is blocked in the courts. Legal challenges are expected.
“The Wire” creator David Simon and his Blown Deadline Productions, Killer Films CEO Christine Vachon (“Carol,” “Vox Lux”), Mark Duplass and his Duplass Brothers Productions, and “Triple Frontier” producer Neal Dodson on behalf of his CounterNarrative Films alongside J.C. Chandor, have so far publicly condemned the law. Nina Jacobson, whose Color Force Productions is behind films like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “American Crime story,” tweeted, “Ditto” to Simon’s tweet.
“Along Came the Devil 2” is a sequel to the 2018 horror film “Along Came the Devil” (a.k.a. “Tell Me Your Name”) that starred Jessica Barth, Matt Dallas and Bruce Davison.
“Film and television production in Georgia supports more than 92,000 jobs and brings significant economic benefits to communities and families,” Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) spokesman Chris Ortman said in a statement. “It is important to remember that similar legislation has been attempted in other states, and has either been enjoined by the courts or is currently being challenged. The outcome in Georgia will also be determined through the legal process. We will continue to monitor developments.”
The Washington Post notes that Georgia passed a tax credit over a decade ago in which productions can collect up to 30% of its budget if filmed in the state, resulting in the studio either saving money or enabling an increase in the project’s budget.
In addition, shows like “Ozark,” “The Real World” and “The Walking Dead” also film in the state, according to ExploreGeorgia.org, the state’s official tourism website.
The sequel to “Jumanji” just wrapped production there, as did Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” and Will Smith’s “Bad Boys for Life.” “Avengers: Infinity War” was also shot there. For a comprehensive list of all films shot in Georgia from 1972 to present, click here.