Reese Witherspoon, Jason Bateman Films Among Those Getting $1.6B from Taxpayers

Every year, the California Film Commission gives $330 million in tax credits to movie and TV programs being filmed in the Golden State.

The film commission’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program 3.0 runs for five years, ending on June 30, 2025, totaling $1.6 billion in tax credits, Variety reported.

The latest round of $86.9 million goes to recipients including the Coen brothers, Steven Soderbergh, Reese Witherspoon, and Jason Bateman.

“Here Comes the Flood,” directed by Bateman, will get a $13.8 million subsidy and air on Netflix, as will “Me Time,” a comedy starring Kevin Hart that received a $7.6 million subsidy, Variety reported. Universal’s “Scarface” will be directed by Luca Guadagnino with a script from Joel and Ethan Coen and received a $9.8 million state subsidy.

An untitled live-action project from Universal got $12.2 million, and its film “Ashley’s War” got $10.7 million. Witherspoon is producing “Ashley’s War,” adapted from a book about women soldiers in Afghanistan.

Soderbergh’s “Kimi” is also getting $3.1 million, and “Flamin’ Hot,” from director Eva Longoria about the creator of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, collected $4.4 million, according to Variety.

Commission Executive Director Colleen Bell told Variety that 61 projects applied for the tax credit, which shows a strong interest in filming despite the pandemic.

“The industry is bullish on California,” she said. “This is a time where people would like to stay close to home.”

It’s hard not to wonder whether all the people watching these movies at home know $1.6 billion of taxpayer dollars is being given to them.

The #WasteOfTheDay is presented by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com.