California is opening the second year of its expanded film and television tax-credit program with nine new television projects expected to generate $608 million in direct production spending and support approximately 3,000 cast and crew jobs across the state.
California is making another major push to bring television production—and the jobs that come with it—back to the Golden State.
On August 10, 2026, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that nine television projects had been awarded incentives through the second year of California’s expanded Film & Television Tax Credit Program 4.0. The slate includes seven new series, returning productions, recognizable franchise properties and projects featuring major stars.
According to the California Film Commission, the nine productions are projected to generate $608 million in direct production spending, including $498 million in qualified expenditures and $291 million in qualified wages. The projects are expected to create approximately 3,000 cast and crew jobs, employ background performers for an estimated 25,000 workdays and account for 1,014 filming days in California.
For producers, the announcement represents another indication that California’s dramatically expanded incentive program is becoming an increasingly important tool in the state’s effort to compete for television production.
Clueless and The Rockford Files Return to California
The new awards include several projects with particularly strong connections to California.
Among them is a television sequel to Clueless, being produced by CBS Studios for Paramount+. Alicia Silverstone is returning to the franchise and will executive produce the series.
Also receiving an award is a new version of The Rockford Files, with David Boreanaz attached to star. The original series famously used Southern California locations and centered on private investigator Jim Rockford.
The projects illustrate one of California’s strongest arguments in the increasingly competitive incentive marketplace: certain stories are inherently connected to the state’s locations and culture.
For productions like these, California isn’t simply a backdrop. Los Angeles, Malibu and the broader Southern California region are part of the identity of the property.
Viola Davis Returns to Television With Ascent
The new slate also includes Ascent, a Paramount Television Studios production for Paramount+ starring and executive produced by Academy Award and Emmy Award winner Viola Davis.
The project marks Davis’ return to television and adds significant star power to California’s second-year incentive slate.
Another high-profile project is Newlyweds, from Universal Television, featuring Jamie Lee Curtis as executive producer and very special guest star, with Téa Leoni and Tim Daly starring.
The inclusion of major talent is significant for California’s strategy because high-profile productions can generate substantial spending while also keeping experienced crews, vendors and production infrastructure active.
Nine Projects Bring More Production Activity to California
The nine projects awarded in this round include:
- Clueless — CBS Studios/Paramount+
- The Rockford Files — Universal Television
- Newlyweds — Universal Television
- Ascent — Paramount Television Studios/Paramount+
- S.W.A.T. Exiles — Sony Pictures Television
- Love Come Softly
- Untitled Florida Project — Netflix
- Untitled DET Project 51 — Disney Entertainment Television
- Untitled Amazon Project — Amazon
The California Film Commission identifies the first four as major new projects, while the remaining awards include returning series and projects that have not yet been publicly titled.
The Numbers Behind California’s Television Push
The economic figures are arguably the most important part of the announcement for producers and production professionals.
The nine projects are projected to deliver:
| Production Impact | California Projection |
|---|---|
| Direct production spending | $608 million |
| Qualified spending | $498 million |
| Qualified wages | $291 million |
| Cast & crew jobs | 3,000 |
| Background performer workdays | 25,000 |
| California shooting days | 1,014 |
Those numbers demonstrate why film incentives have become such an important economic-development tool for states competing for production.
The incentive itself is only one component of the equation. The broader economic impact reaches transportation companies, equipment suppliers, hotels, restaurants, construction companies, post-production businesses, locations, soundstages and thousands of individual workers.
California’s Expanded Program Enters Year Two
The latest awards come after a dramatic expansion of California’s incentive program.
Earlier this year, California increased the annual funding allocation from $330 million to $750 million, more than doubling the program’s previous annual allocation. The state also introduced changes designed to keep production, below-the-line employment and investment within California.
The first year of the expanded program produced significant results.
According to the California Film Commission, the first year resulted in 170 projects and $6.6 billion in direct production spending, while application volume increased 82% compared with the previous year.
That early performance gives California officials a strong argument that the larger incentive is achieving its intended economic-development goals.
Television Production in Los Angeles Is Showing Signs of Recovery
The latest announcement also comes as television production activity in Los Angeles shows signs of improvement.
FilmLA reported that the television category increased 34.4% in the second quarter compared with the previous quarter, reaching 1,607 shoot days.
TV drama production increased even more sharply, rising 55.1% from the first quarter. Productions supported by California’s tax-credit program represented 38.3% of drama shoot days during the quarter.
Recent California-supported television productions have included returning or rebooted properties such as Baywatch, Prison Break, Ballard and The Night Agent.
That combination of incentive-supported projects and improving overall production activity could be an important indicator for California’s entertainment economy.
Why Tax Incentives Matter to Producers
For producers, location decisions increasingly come down to a combination of creative, logistical and financial considerations.
A production may compare California against states such as Georgia, New York, New Mexico, Illinois and others, as well as international jurisdictions offering aggressive incentives.
The question isn’t simply “Where can we shoot?”
It’s increasingly:
Where can we get the best combination of incentive value, crew availability, locations, stages, vendors, infrastructure and financing certainty?
California has advantages that many competing jurisdictions cannot easily duplicate.
The state has one of the world’s deepest entertainment labor pools, extensive studio infrastructure, thousands of experienced vendors and an extraordinary range of locations.
The expanded tax credit is designed to add another major advantage to that equation.
The Program Has a Long Track Record
California’s incentive program isn’t new.
The Film & Television Tax Credit Program began in 2009 and, according to the California Film Commission, has generated more than $33.1 billion in economic activity and supported more than 237,000 cast and crew jobs since its inception.
The state also reports that historically, every dollar of tax credits awarded has been associated with approximately $24.40 in economic output, $16.14 in GDP and $8.60 in wages.
Those figures help explain why California lawmakers substantially increased the program’s funding.
A Competitive Advantage for California-Based Crews
One of the most significant effects of keeping productions in California may be the impact on below-the-line workers.
Every additional television production can create opportunities for:
- Production assistants
- Assistant directors
- Camera crews
- Grip and electric departments
- Art department personnel
- Set decorators
- Costume departments
- Hair and makeup professionals
- Transportation departments
- Location professionals
- Sound departments
- Production accountants
- Post-production teams
- Equipment rental companies
- Catering and craft-service businesses
The new awards are expected to generate thousands of cast and crew jobs, reinforcing the relationship between production incentives and the state’s workforce.
California Is Betting on Its Own Identity
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this latest group of projects is how many are tied directly to California.
Clueless is inseparable from Los Angeles culture. The Rockford Files is closely associated with Southern California. Both properties use California not simply as scenery, but as part of their storytelling identity.
That gives California an advantage that competing production markets cannot manufacture.
A tax incentive can make a location financially attractive.
But a location that is already part of the story can make the creative decision easier.
What This Means for the Future of California Production
The second year of the expanded program will be an important test.
California has substantially increased its financial commitment to production, but the state remains in an intensely competitive national and international marketplace.
The early numbers are encouraging: more projects, billions in direct spending and measurable increases in television activity.
The challenge now will be maintaining that momentum.
If the program continues attracting major television series while generating substantial employment and local spending, California’s expanded incentive could become an increasingly important factor in the industry’s location decisions.
For producers, the message is clear:
California is no longer simply relying on Hollywood’s historical dominance to attract production. The state is putting significant financial resources behind its effort to make California competitive again.
And with nine new television projects launching the program’s second year, that strategy is already producing results.
Working in production? List your crew profile, location, or open job free on Film-Friendly.
Add Your Listing — Free