ARIZONA FILM INSIDER - JANUARY 2026

INSIDE THE AZ LEGISLATURE

As January comes to a close, the Legislature is moving quickly toward several key early-session deadlines. The Senate’s bill introduction deadline is Monday, February 2 at 5:00 p.m., while House members have an additional week to introduce legislation.

With only three weeks remaining for committees to meet in their chambers of origin, we expect committee agendas to grow longer and more substantive as lawmakers begin advancing their priorities. This pace is reflected in the sheer volume of legislation already introduced. The current record for bill introductions was set in 2021 with 1,774 bills, and the Legislature is on track to surpass that mark this year. As of January 30th, 1,733 bills have already been introduced.

The Senate will close out bill introductions on February 2, while the House, now operating under a seven-bill introduction limit per member, has until February 9. As the session accelerates, these early weeks will be critical in shaping which proposals advance and which issues gain momentum.

Coalition Capitol Engagement

The Arizona Film Coalition continues to actively monitor legislation and regulatory discussions that could impact Arizona’s film and production industry. As the legislative session progresses and committee agendas intensify, we are closely tracking proposals that may affect production activity, workforce development, and the broader creative economy.

In addition, the Coalition continues to watch for any developments related to last year’s court ruling involving the Arizona Motion Picture Production Program. To date, there has been no filing of an appeal by the Goldwater Institute, and no new legal activity has emerged. We remain attentive to any changes and will keep stakeholders informed should circumstances shift.

The Coalition remains committed to ensuring that Arizona’s film industry is supported by clear, stable policy and regulatory frameworks that allow the sector to grow and compete effectively.

INSIDE FILM TUCSON

The latest project from indie director Tim Sutton (whose work has screened at Sundance and Venice) recently filmed throughout our region for a speedy 2 week shoot, aiming his lens at a variety of unique spots including the Tucson Scottish Cathedral, the eerie remains of Tucson Greyhound Park, and the popular local watering spot Tommy’s Saloon.

A large-scale sizzle reel filmed entirely in Tucson by producer Diarmaid McGrath (John Wick: Chapter 4) made South Tucson one of its main backdrops right before Christmas. The shoot was produced by Monsoon Production Services, who also chose the Armory Park neighborhood as its other prime location.

Other projects from last month include a commercial spot for Audi, and an episode of the popular PBS series Wild Foods.

This past December, Film Tucson were once again present at Focus UK, the annual film industry tradeshow in London which emphasizes location spots from around the world. Year after year, our booth connects us with top location professionals from the biz, and 2025 was no exception. Meeting these scouts in a casual setting allows us to invite them all to fly out to Tucson for a look-see. Many of them do, and they all come away impressed, vowing to bring business in the future.

Film Tucson was once again a sponsor of the Tombstone Film Festival (taking place January 29th to February 1st) which showcased the best in Western films from all over the world, with all events taking place in America's most iconic Western town. This year, the highlights included an appearance from director Jesse V. Johnson, as well as Film Tucson providing a private tour for all the visiting filmmakers of the popular western movie set Gammons Gulch.

INSIDE PHOENIX FILM OFFICE

The Phoenix Film Office just published the 2025 Greater Phoenix Economic Impact Report which underscores the importance of our industry on the local economy.  Across 906 projects and 1,088 shoot days, multimedia productions generated $21.45M in direct spending, hired 2,633 local crew and 1,686 local talent, and booked 4,138 hotel nights. Commercials were once again the backbone of this activity, with 240 projects accounting for 305 shoot days and generating $13.04M in spending. They represented roughly 62% of local crew hires and 61% of talent bookings, providing steady work that keeps our workforce and vendor ecosystem strong.

View the report here: https://www.investinphoenix.com/Documents/2025YearEnd.pdf