California Led as Shooting Location for 2018 Films but Lagged on Blockbusters, Study Finds

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California is still hosting plenty of feature film productions, but the blockbusters are going elsewhere, according to a new study published Wednesday by FilmLA.

The survey, which looked at the 291 theatrical features and 56 streaming films released in 2018, and found that 61 were shot in the Golden State last year, closely followed by New York, with 57.

However, the number of top-grossing films shot in California continued to lag behind productions shot in Georgia and the U.K., where Pinewood Studios has locations that have become popular for blockbuster makers like Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm.

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Georgia was the primary filming location for 22 of the top 100 grossing films, followed by the U.K. with 16. California tied with Canada for third place, with 11 films each. California has not been the primary location for more than 12 of the top grossing films in a single year going back to 2013.

In addition, New York edged California as the primary shooting location for streaming features in 2018, with 13 to the Golden State’s 11.

“This is a report at once encouraging and sobering in its conclusions,” FilmLA President Paul Audley said in a statement. “On the one hand, it’s wonderful that California locations are so widely sought after by filmmakers. But on the other, our ability to attract the highest-value projects is almost wholly dependent on incentives, and in that space the competition is outspending us.”

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“The fact is that we’d love to see more feature work done locally, but the resources required to support that expansion are operating close to capacity. To attract more feature projects white maintaining our leadership in television production will require new investments in incentives and infrastructure.”

Among the films shot entirely in California were the “Transformers” spinoff “Bumblebee” as well as recent Oscar contenders like “Vice,” “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” and “A Star Is Born.” Other major films shot in California include “Venom,” “Ant-Man & The Wasp,” “Captain Marvel,” and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”

Trump vs Schwarzenegger: 9 Moments in History of Friends Turned Rivals (Photos)

Here's a look back at the long and complicated history between the two celebrities-turned-politicians.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger and Donald Trump were buddy-buddy at first, seen joking around at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York, according to a 2016 Politico article. At Trump's request, Schwarzenegger even moved his entourage from the Mandarin Hotel to one of Trump's hotels, which irked Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver.
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Schwarzenegger had a guest appearance on an episode of "The Apprentice: Los Angeles" in 2007, when he was governor of California. He invited contestants into his private conference room in Sacramento. Back then, Trump described the Governator as a "great friend."
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Apparently he was such a great friend that a month later, Trump donated $10,000 to Schwarzenegger to help pay off debts from his 2006 re-election campaign. The donation got Schwarzenegger in hot water, as political watchdogs saw it as him using his celebrity status to solve his political problems.
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In September 2015, NBC named Schwarzenegger to take over as host of "Celebrity Apprentice" following Trump's entrance into the the presidential race -- and after the candidate's statements about Mexicans prompted NBC Universal to cut its business ties with real estate mogul.
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During Trump's presidential campaign, Schwarzenegger would not provide the same support, instead endorsing Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the Republican primary.
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Even after Trump won the GOP nomination, Schwarzenegger took to social media to he would not vote for Trump...whom he would not refer to by name. "It's not only acceptable to choose your country over your party -- it is your duty," he said.
Trump struck back a few weeks before his inauguration in January 2017, mocking the low ratings Schwarzenegger was getting as host of "Celebrity Apprentice" while referring to himself as a "ratings machine." Trump had made similar taunts at Martha Stewart when she hosted her version of the reality show back in 2005.
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Schwarzenegger responded by wishing Trump luck and saying that he hoped "you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings."
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In February 2017, President Trump mocked Schwarzenegger for his "Celebrity Apprentice" ratings at the ordinarily serious National Prayer Breakfast, calling on the crowd to "pray for Arnold."
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In response, Schwarzenegger suggested in a Facebook video that he and Trump switch jobs: "You take over TV, because you're such an expert in ratings. And I take over your job. And then people can finally sleep comfortably again."

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