ARIZONA FILM INSIDER - AUGUST 2026

ARIZONA PRODUCTION UPDATE

Arizona Film Coalition Gets Local

This month, the Arizona Film Coalition was pleased to have a table at the 2026 League of Arizona Cities and Towns Annual Conference, an important opportunity to talk about Arizona’s film industry with the local leaders who see its impact firsthand.

Coalition members had the chance to connect with city representatives, council members, county supervisors and other local officials from communities across the state. These conversations gave us an opportunity to talk not just about Arizona's film industry broadly, but about what film production can mean for individual communities. We talked a lot about how individual cities and towns can be more film friendly.

Economic development is a critical part of that story. When a production comes to town, its impact can extend well beyond the set. As you know, productions utilize hotels, restaurants, caterers, equipment suppliers, construction trades, local businesses and workers. For communities across Arizona, attracting film and television productions can mean bringing new dollars into the local economy while also showcasing what their region has to offer.

Just as importantly, the conference allowed us to have those conversations one-on-one. Building a strong coalition of support for Arizona film means developing relationships with leaders who understand both our industry and how it can benefit the communities they represent.

We are grateful to everyone who stopped by our table, asked questions and talked Arizona productions with us! Continuing to expand that network of supporters at the local level is an important part of building a strong and sustainable film industry statewide.

INSIDE THE AZ LEGISLATURE

Important Dates

The most important thing each of us can do to protect the Film Incentive and support our industry is to vote. The second most important is to encourage your family and friends to support our industry at the ballot box.

• October 5th, the last day to register to vote for this election.

• October 7th, early voting begins and early ballots are mailed.

• November 3rd, General Election Day.

  
  

Another Long Ballot Ahead for Arizona Voters

Arizona voters should prepare to do a little extra homework before heading to the polls on November 3. Once again, a large number of statewide ballot measures will accompany candidates on the General Election ballot.

The landscape has changed considerably since the Legislature adjourned. Several measures that were initially expected to go before voters have since been removed through court challenges. Most notably, Arizona's two competing Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) measures will not appear on the ballot. The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed rulings that effectively removed both the citizen-led Protect Education Act and the Legislature's HCR 2048 proposal. HCR 2040, dealing with public-sector labor organizations, was also struck from the ballot, and legislative leaders declined to appeal that decision.

As things currently stand, Arizona voters can expect eight statewide propositions:

• Proposition 141 – Would prohibit state and local governments from imposing taxes or fees based on vehicle miles traveled and restrict government monitoring or limiting of vehicle mileage without consent.

• Proposition 142 – Would expand Arizona's constitutional prohibitions relating to race- or ethnicity-based preferential treatment and restrict certain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

• Proposition 143 – Would require certain school districts to spend at least 60% of operational spending on direct classroom instruction and would place restrictions on the use of direct resources for labor organizations.

• Proposition 144 – Would make several changes to Arizona election requirements, including requiring government-issued identification for voters, including those voting by mail.

• Proposition 316 – Would require voter approval for cities and towns to impose or increase taxes on groceries and generally cap new or increased food taxes at 2%.

• Proposition 317 – Would designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations under Arizona law and direct the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to address cartel-related threats.

• Proposition 318 – Would establish restrictions on participation in certain interscholastic and intramural athletic programs based on biological sex.

• Proposition 319 – Would require vote approval before local governments can establish or expand photo-enforcement systems.

  
  

While none of these measures directly addresses Arizona's film incentive program, they cover significant questions involving taxes, elections, education, local government and public policy. And because ballot referrals allow the Legislature to send policy directly to voters without the Governor's approval or veto, they remain an important part of Arizona's political landscape.

The Arizona Film Coalition will continue keeping an eye on the November election and what its results could mean for the political environment heading into the 2027 legislative session.

INSIDE FILM TUCSON

On August 6th, Film Tucson rolled out the red carpet at La Rosa for the premiere of the telenovela Tierra de Amor y Coraje and welcomed the show’s lead cast and producer. The TelevisaUnivision production was filmed in Tucson and southern Arizona this spring.

We hosted 15 journalists from domestic and international outlets—including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Rolling Stone en Español, La Voz Arizona, and The Latin Times. The next day, Tucson stayed in the spotlight with live Univision broadcasts of El Gordo y la Flaca, Primer Impacto, and Despierta América from Tanque Verde Guest Ranch.

Together, these events delivered national exposure in top-tier entertainment media across U.S. Hispanic markets and Mexico/Latin America, positioning Tucson as a premier filming and travel destination. The production generated an estimated $5 million in local economic impact, supported more than 250 local jobs, and booked over 3,800 room nights.

Tucson’s ties to Mexico’s film industry run deep, and our recent Mexico City event to attract new productions was a clear success. A-list directors, producers, and industry leaders gathered at Cine Tonalá, surrounded by photos and videos of southern Arizona locations showcasing our region’s beauty. Over a lively evening of great food and conversation, we connected with more than 180 film professionals eager to explore what Tucson can offer their next projects, including executive producers from Amazon Studios, Netflix, MUBI, and Sony Entertainment. As a result, a handful of potential projects emerged from these conversations. Guests’ credits include Amores Perros, We Are the Nobles, Club de Cuervos, Father of the Bride, Frida, Triangle of Sadness, A Cop Movie, We Shall Not Be Moved, Pedro Páramo, New Order, and La Cocina, just to mention a few.

Phoenix-based Productions 52 just wrapped a new Vantage West Credit Union commercial in Tucson, employing more than a dozen local crew and showcasing several locations across our city, delivering direct spend to local vendors and talent. We’re proud to support projects that hire locally and put Southern Arizona on screen.

INSIDE PHOENIX FILM OFFICE

August is usually a quiet month for commercial production in Phoenix, but reality TV is picking up the slack.

Team Moms: Baseball premieres on Paramount+ September 24. The show follows parents whose kids attend Legendary Prep Academy, an elite baseball training school in Scottsdale for middle and high school baseball players. Skydance Sports and ITV America produce alongside Kim Kardashian. The Phoenix Film Office assisted when an episode took them to Paseo Highlands Park (35th Ave and Pinnacle Peak Rd).

90 Day Fiancé, produced by Sharp Entertainment, is back once again! The original show has spun off into several franchises and Phoenix continues to be a desired backdrop for filming. Currently the Phoenix Film Office is working on multiple episodes of “The Single Life S6” shooting in the Valley.

Arizona Hot, on the other hand, is fresh off a Netflix greenlight and hasn’t gone into production. The series will follow recent college grads building careers and relationships in the Valley’s 110-degree heat, executive produced by Below Deck and Real Housewives alum Matt Solomon alongside Sandy Varo Jarrell. Most of the filming is expected to take place in Scottsdale, although the production is sorting through their locations and we assume filming will occur in other cities as well.

Reality shows may not be our biggest economic drivers, but they keep people employed and they promote the region. If Phoenix can survive triple‑digit heat, it can survive whatever these productions call “storylines.”