Key facts
- Executive producer Jonathan Nolan stated that tax incentives were essential for bringing the Amazon Prime Video series "Fallout" to California.
- The production received $25 million in tax rebates for its second season and $42 million for its third season.
- Nolan played a key role in lobbying for California's $750 million tax rebate program for film and television.
- California has experienced a significant loss of entertainment industry jobs between 2019 and 2023.
- The occupancy rate for Hollywood sound stages has decreased significantly since 2016.
Executive producer Jonathan Nolan of the Amazon Prime Video series "Fallout" has lauded California's tax incentives for their crucial role in bringing and retaining the production in the state. The first season was filmed in New York, but California successfully lured the show for its second season with $25 million in tax rebates, a move Nolan described as essential.
Nolan was a prominent figure in advocating for California's approval of $750 million in tax rebates aimed at boosting film and television production. He emphasized that without these incentives, the production would not have been feasible. The show continued its run in California for a third season, benefiting from $42 million in tax credits on a $166.3 million budget, which supported the hiring of nearly 600 crew members and 30 actors, according to the California Film Commission.
Nolan expressed concern over the decline in entertainment industry employment, which has seen fewer opportunities for actors, writers, and various craftspeople since its peak in late 2022. California has been particularly affected, losing 17,234 entertainment jobs between 2019 and 2023, according to the Milken Institute. Factors such as reduced television advertising revenue and slower streaming growth have led studios to seek more cost-effective production locations. Film LA reported that Hollywood's sound stage occupancy rate has fallen to 62% in the first half of 2025 from near full capacity in 2016.
"That threatens to hollow out and destroy a 100-year cultural institution that is maybe one of the most important parts of American culture and our ability to broadcast our culture around the world," Nolan stated, underscoring the rebate's importance in bringing production back. Actor Walton Goggins, who plays a dual role in the series, shared his gratitude for working in Los Angeles and hoped for the expansion of tax credits to attract more productions.