Taylor Sheridan Could Be Driving Texas to Be the New Hollywood

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For years, Hollywood has been considered the heart of the entertainment world, but Texas has a strong and growing film scene of its own. The state hosts popular events like the Austin Film Festival and South by Southwest, and launched the careers of well-known directors such as Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, and Wes Anderson. Now, Taylor Sheridan – the creative force behind successful shows like Yellowstone, Lioness, Mayor of Kingstown, and Tulsa King – is planning to establish a major production hub in Texas, not only for his own projects but for a variety of other films and television series as well.

Sheridan teamed up with Hillwood and Paramount Television to create SGS Studios, a huge 450,000-square-foot facility in Alliance, Texas. It’s now the biggest studio space in Texas, capable of handling four major film or TV productions at the same time. According to a report from Collider, the state of Texas invested $1.5 billion in the project.

SGS Studios is more than just facilities and financial benefits; it’s about reviving the original spirit of innovation and hard work that shaped the entertainment industry. Texas provides a unique combination of ample space for ambitious projects, the agility to build quickly, and a supportive community that values the power of stories.

Will Texas Take Jobs Away From California?


Paramount+

Texas has passed a new law, Senate Bill 22, offering around $1.5 billion in funding over the next decade to attract film and television productions. As reported by Fox 4, this aims to make Texas a major competitor to places like Georgia, Louisiana, New York, London, and Canada. This strategy mirrors Tyler Perry’s success in Atlanta, where his studio has significantly boosted the local economy. This development poses a challenge for California, which is currently trying to bring more film and TV jobs back to the state.

For almost two decades, film and television production has been leaving California, and increasingly, the United States. A recent report from LA Film, the organization that manages film permits for Los Angeles, revealed production in the city is at its lowest point ever. This has created hardship for many film professionals, especially in the Los Angeles area. The situation has been worsened by a combination of factors: the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild, and the growing use of artificial intelligence to automate jobs.

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Variety, shows California’s film and video production industry has seen job losses. In 2024, the state had roughly 40,000 fewer jobs in this sector compared to its 2022 high, and around 20,000 fewer than before the pandemic. Several entertainment unions estimate that 40% to 50% of their members are currently unemployed.

Okay, it’s not all doom and gloom for filmmaking in California. Governor Newsom has introduced a new tax incentive program, and the California Film Commission estimates this $750 million boost could create around 4,400 to 5,500 jobs. However, as Variety notes, that’s still just a small piece of the puzzle when you look at how many jobs California’s lost in the film industry recently. Things are picking up in Los Angeles, and projections suggest continued growth in 2026, but we’ve got a new rival to contend with: Texas is really starting to attract productions too.

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2025-10-26 19:17