Louisiana's Baton Rouge sees record spend in 2022 film and TV production

Louisiana's Baton Rouge has seen a major increase in production spend this year by $53m compared to last year.

Film productions based in Baton Rouge have spent about $81.5m in 2022, in comparison to around $28m in 2021.

According to Great Baton Rouge Business Report, the figure marks the Louisiana capital's highest total since at least 2017.

The increase can be attributed to a rise in demand following the Covid-19 restrictions throughout 2020, when total spending was less than $600,000. It is also due to the need to create content for streaming services, says Baton Rouge Film Commission executive director, Katie Pryor. 

“I think streaming is now the new cultural norm,” she says. “You’re always going to have increased demand.” 

Major Baton Rouge-based projects this year include:

• National Treasure: Edge of History, a series for Disney+. 
• The Iron Claw, an A24 feature film starring Zac Efron.
• Half Baked 2, a Universal Studios sequel to the 1998 comedy. 
• Family Christmas (working title), a made-for-TV movie.