Will Smith's latest film Emancipation, has pulled production from Georgia in the wake of the state's controversial voting laws. Set to be directed by Training Day and The Equalizer director Antoine Fuqua, Emancipation tells the true story of Gordon, a slave on a Louisiana plantation who escapes and frees himself to join the union army later. Gordon gained the name 'Whipped Peter' as photos of severe scars on his back from being whipped were published in the popular American magazine Harper's Weekly and was evidence of the brutal treatment slaves were undergoing.
Governor Brian Kemp and the George state legislator passed new strict voting regulations that many civil rights activists have compared to the Jim Crow era. These new regulations include strict new ID requirements for absentee ballots, limiting the use of drop-boxes, and making it a crime to give free food or water to voters waiting in line. The news has caused controversy in the state, and Major League Baseball announced they were moving the All-Star Game out of Atlanta to Denver. In contrast, major Georgia-based companies like Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines have been outspoken in their opposition to the law. Now it appears they have lost a major Hollywood production.
According to THR, Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua's Emancipation has now become the first movie to pull out of filming in Georgia due to the law. Production was set to begin filming on June 21 in Georgia but will now move to Louisiana. Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua are producers of the Apple Studios film. Smith and Fuqua released a joint statement that said:
“At this moment in time, the Nation is coming to terms with its history and is attempting to eliminate vestiges of institutional racism to achieve true racial justice...We cannot in good conscience provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access. The new Georgia voting laws are reminiscent of voting impediments that were passed at the end of Reconstruction to prevent many Americans from voting. Regrettably, we feel compelled to move our film production work from Georgia to another state.”
Georgia's tax laws have made the state a prime location for many productions, including hit series like The Walking Dead, Cobra Kai, and even The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Marvel Studios has a significant presence in Georgia using the Trilith Studios in Atlanta, where Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye are currently shooting and Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania set to film there. Marvel has yet to make any announcements on productions presently taking place in Georgia or the recent laws.
Given the high-profile nature of star Will Smith and director Antoine Fuqua, Emancipation could be the first of many significant productions pulling out of Georgia. Tyler Perry, who has a studio in Georgia, has claimed films pulling out of the state could end up hurting the below-the-line talent who are the same people the voting restrictions are meant to impact. While the various studios and talents will have to make decisions on what they believe is the correct response to this act, it will have significant ramifications on not just films but also Georgia's citizens.
Source: THR