ARIZONA FILM INSIDER - may 2026

Congratulations & Thank You Peter Catalanotte

After serving for nearly 30 years at Film Tucson, Peter Catalanotte has retired. Peter has also stepped down as Board Member and Secretary of the Arizona Film Coalition. His strong leadership and vision will be missed.

Peter has been an amazingly effective leader for Film Tucson and the entire film community here in Arizona. He brought a young person’s energy and the wisdom of his extensive experience to the task and art of promoting film in Arizona. His accomplishments at Film Tucson are too many to list, yet we would be remiss if we did not note his hard work in bringing J.J. Abrams, his team, and 11 million dollars to Tucson to film the pilot of the HBO series, Duster. Peter was instrumental in enabling Abrams to turn Tucson into the Phoenix of the 1970’s.

Peter’s commitment to our state and our industry reached far beyond the southern part of Arizona. He worked tirelessly with the AFC to bring back our Film Tax Credit. Peter pulled together the industry’s biggest studios to consult with local state senators and stakeholders to talk about film incentives. He traveled the state to promote our industry, our state, and the Arizona Film Coalition. The AFC will be forever grateful for his leadership and hard work. While we will miss him greatly, we hope he enjoys this next phase of his life.

INSIDE THE AZ LEGISLATURE

Legislative Update: All Quiet on the Legislative Front

You may have seen recent reporting regarding the ongoing Goldwater Institute lawsuit challenging Arizona’s film tax incentive program. At this time, the reporting largely relates to filings and procedural developments that occurred several months ago when Goldwater lost at the trial court level and filed its appeal. The plaintiff’s arguments noted in the article are the same ones made at the trial court level.

The Arizona Film Coalition continues to monitor the litigation closely and remains focused on the issue. Should any meaningful developments occur that materially impact the program or require industry awareness, we will provide updates accordingly.

The Arizona Legislature spent much of May in recess following the advancement (and swift veto) of the Republican majority budget proposal by Governor Hobbs. Republican lawmakers advanced the $17.9 billion spending package earlier this month, but as expected, Governor Hobbs promptly vetoed the proposal, citing the need for a bipartisan and balanced budget agreement.

In the wake of the veto, the Legislature largely adjourned for the remainder of May while negotiations continued behind the scenes between legislative leadership and the Governor’s Office. The Arizona House recessed on May 5 until June 1, while the Senate has only periodically returned to conduct limited floor work and executive nomination hearings.

In what many viewed as a positive sign for ongoing discussions, the Governor’s Office announced in mid-May that the bill moratorium had been lifted following what was described as a full week of productive, good-faith negotiations between Republican budget negotiators and the administration.

The lifting of the moratorium was generally interpreted around the Capitol as an indication that discussions had become more collaborative and constructive than they had been earlier in the spring.

Budget Negotiations Show Positive Momentum Heading Into June

Compared to where discussions stood at the time of our April newsletter, however, the overall tone around the Capitol appears notably more positive. We continue to hear there is growing momentum with speculation increasing that lawmakers could return during the week of June 1 with a largely negotiated budget already in place. Under that scenario, leadership would move the remaining bills, finalize budget approvals, and work toward sine die adjournment shortly thereafter.

That said, Capitol observers know budget negotiations in Arizona have a long history of unraveling late in the process, particularly when complicated policy matters and competing political priorities remain unresolved. While optimism has increased in recent weeks, significant details still need to be finalized before any agreement is complete.

For now, we continue monitoring negotiations, leadership discussions, and budget developments closely as the Legislature works toward the conclusion of the 2026 session.

INSIDE FILM TUCSON

Televisa/Univision’s telenovela “Tierra de Amor y Coraje” just wrapped filming in our region after an extensive Tucson shoot utilizing locations including Tucson International Airport, the Historic Shankle Ranch, Pima County Historic Courthouse, White Stallion Ranch, JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa and downtown Tucson. The production generated over 50 days of filming, an estimated 3,500+ hotel room nights, hired more than 180 local actors and 20+ local crew for over 1,000 job days, with an estimated local spend of $5 million.

We hosted a weeklong familiarization (FAM) tour for two Atlanta-based location scouts, whose credits include Modern Family, Hillbilly Elegy, Cobra Kai, and The Idea of You. The itinerary was tailored to highlight iconic southern Arizona sites, including the Titan Missile Museum, Biosphere 2, Bisbee and the Western town Mescal Movie Set. Through our Film Without Borders program, the tour extended into Sonora, Mexico to scout two border towns.

PBS’s Antiques Roadshow returned to Tucson for its third visit, transforming historic Old Tucson into a vibrant open-air set. More than 70 expert appraisers evaluated thousands of local treasures, uncovering stories that spotlight Southern Arizona’s history and heritage.

INSIDE PHOENIX FILM OFFICE

The Phoenix Film Office attended the AFCI Studio Summit 2026 in Los Angeles this March, joining film commissioners and industry leaders from around the world to examine the rapidly evolving production landscape. The conference highlighted how the industry has entered a “new normal,” with overall production levels stabilizing but not fully returning to their previous highs. Conversations throughout the event emphasized the shifting balance between television and feature work, the impact of incentives, and the increasingly global nature of mid‑budget filmmaking.

A key session for our office was the data‑driven panel “What the Data Shows – Where Production Is Actually Landing,” which provided an in‑depth look at where projects are truly choosing to film and why. The discussion underscored that traditional powerhouse states—California, Georgia, and New Mexico—are experiencing slowed or inconsistent activity, while New York and New Jersey are emerging as major growth centers. New Jersey’s surge is being driven in large part by its revitalized incentive program and new studio footprints from Lionsgate and Netflix, both of which are reshaping the competitive landscape. The panel’s analysis highlighted the practical factors influencing decisions—workforce, infrastructure, timelines—and how these variables are shifting market share in real time.

Internationally, the session made clear that growth is accelerating in several global hubs, particularly the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Spain, Hungary, and New Zealand. These regions have strengthened their appeal through competitive incentives, strong crews, and significant infrastructure investments, positioning them as key players for mid‑budget and studio‑level production. For the Phoenix Film Office, the panel provided valuable insights into how U.S. and global trends intersect and where opportunities may emerge as productions diversify geographically. The takeaways reinforced the importance of strategic investment, workforce development, and competitive policy as cities like ours position themselves within this evolving ecosystem.