Five Utah counties to see film production in 2025, thanks to tax credit incentives

Brice Wallace
Business Journal

Several film productions will be shooting across Utah this spring, aided by incentives recently approved by the Utah Board of Tourism Development.

The tax credit incentives total $3.15 million, but the productions are expected to spend $12.6 million and employ over 400 people during filming in Grand, Salt Lake, San Juan, Summit, and Wasatch counties.

An action-adventure film, “Zeus,” was approved for a rural tax credit of $967,581, based on expected spending of nearly $3.9 million in Utah. It will shoot in Grand County and employ 78 cast and crew. Production takes place through August.

Despite the high Utah spending number, only 10 percent of the production will be shot in the state. The remainder will be shot in Australia, England, India and Mexico.

Producers are Jen Conroy, Jay Ashenfelter and Eric McLeod (“The Lone Ranger”). The director is Grant Sputore.

“In our search for a breathtaking backdrop to capture pivotal moments of the film, we found the perfect locations in Utah,” McLeod said.

Unlike “Zeus,” “(Saint) Peter” will be shot entirely in Utah, specifically Salt Lake County. It will employ 92 cast and crew, spend $2.9 million in the state, and have production through May. It was approved for a tax credit of $727,500.

The family-friendly film tells the story of a teen in high school, where everyone believes his comatose brother is a saint.

Producers are Peter Farrelly (“Dumb and Dumber”), Jennifer Goodridge Cruz and Naomi Despres. The writer/director is Josh Klausner (“Date Night”).

“Having grown up in Salt Lake City until I was 12, the state of Utah is very dear to my heart,” Klausner said. “'(Saint) Peter’ is a story about the life of a young 14-year-old boy, and as I envisioned it, I couldn’t help but picture the locations from my childhood. Through our location scouts, we’ve found such richness in the architecture and landscape, which will add so much character to the world of our movie.”

Two Hallmark films from producer David Wulf (“Haul Out the Holly”) were approved for incentives. Each will spend about $2 million in Utah and be shot entirely in the state.

“Christmas on Duty,” directed by Jake Van Wagoner (“Aliens Abducted My Parents” and “Know I Feel Kinda Left Out”) will shoot in Summit and Wasatch counties, employ 89 cast and crew, and have production through August. It was approved for a rural tax credit incentive of $500,000.

Directed by Maclain Nelson, “Home Turf” will be directed by Maclain Nelson (“Haul Out the Holly”). Shooting takes place in Salt Lake County, with production scheduled for March through September. The production will employ 87 cast and crew. It also was approved for an incentive of $500,000.

Some Hollywood heavyweights will star in “Wild Horse Nine,” which will spend $1.82 million in Utah: John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Parker Posey, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Waits.

About 15 percent of the thriller from Blueprint Pictures, Searchlight Pictures and Film4 will be shot in San Juan and Grand counties. The remainder will shoot in Chile and mostly on Easter Island. The Utah work will involve 60 cast and crew, with production through June. The production was approved for a rural tax credit incentive of $455,032.

Producers are Diamuid McKeown, Graham Broadbent and Anita Overland. The writer/director is Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin,” “In Bruges,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”).

“Utah’s vast, cinematic landscapes and striking quality of light make it the perfect setting for ‘Wild Horse Nine,’” Overland said. “Beyond its scenery, Utah’s highly skilled and professional crew base made the decision to film here an easy one. We look forward to bringing ‘Wild Horse Nine’ to life in this extraordinary setting.”