Disney, Sony, WarnerMedia, Netflix, AMC, NBC, CBS and Viacom signal opposition to Georgia abortion law

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Hollywood studios this week made a series of public announcements suggesting they will end productions in Georgia if a controversial new abortion law is implemented.

Following a backlash from leading Hollywood actors and directors, Hollywood studios have been carefully reviewing the impact of the new abortion law and how it would affect their productions moving forward.

This week, Disney and WarnerMedia were the latest media companies to join a chorus of studios that have issued public statements about the abortion law and how it would affect their productions. Disney CEO Bob Iger said that it would be “very difficult” to shoot in Georgia next year if the abortion law came into effect. “Avengers: Endgame” and “Black Panther” were some of the blockbusters filmed recently in the state. With opposition from employees and the public at large, Disney among other companies have to weigh the cost of choosing to ignore a very divisive issue, and how that would impact their future marketing campaigns on productions that are filmed in Georgia among other considerations.

WarnerMedia issued a statement this week saying that it would also reconsider filming in the state and was following developments in Georgia closely. NBCUniversal also issued a public statement saying that if the abortion law was upheld it would “strongly impact our decision making on where we produce content.”

Netflix released a statement at the start of the week saying that the new abortion law in Georgia would affect “many women working on productions” and that it could severely restrict their rights, and pledged to work alongside the A.C.L.U to oppose it and suggested it would “rethink our entire investment” in the state.

Viacom also joined studios in saying it would be assessing productions if the law was implemented while AMC clearly opposed the legislation in a statement and would be re-evaluating its productions in the state. CBS also issued a statement saying that if the law took effect, locations in the state for future productions may become unviable. Sony is also considering its productions in the state and said that it would be consulting with filmmakers and stakeholders.

There are currently 92,000 jobs in Georgia that could be at risk if America’s largest media companies pull all their productions and investments from the state in 2020 when the abortion law is set to be implemented. Other states introducing similar laws also face opposition from Hollywood studios which may lead to further production cancellations and job losses including a drop in tourism.

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