American Idol is the latest show to go through a shocking relocation.
Multiple outlets reported on Tuesday, September 15, that American Idol is moving production from Los Angeles to Georgia. Deadline noted that production company Fremantle is “in final talks with a studio complex” in the Atlanta area, where shows including Shark Tank and Family Feud are also produced.
Variety explained that California requires competition series like American Idol to have a budget of $1 million per episode for tax incentives, whereas Georgia’s minimum is only $500,000.
The news comes after Only Murders in the Building shifted from filming in London to New York City for its planned seventh season.
After Only Murders in the Building season 6 premieres December 8, with Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) traveling across the pond to solve their newest case, the hit Hulu series will move back to the Big Apple.
The writers’ room, however, was always based in Los Angeles — until now. Deadline confirmed in September that the room will relocate to the East Coast even though the show hasn’t been officially renewed yet.
Earlier this year, news broke that Tracker moved to L.A. with the biggest California tax credit for a series to date. Filming for season 4 began in late June after the $48 million tax credit.
“I’m proud of what we built in Vancouver. I’m also very excited we’re bringing Tracker to L.A.,” star Justin Hartley said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to continuing to tell these stories alongside the new, fresh places we’ll be heading to next. Most importantly, I want to thank the fans for showing up for us every step of the way. We couldn’t do this without you.”
Hartley, 49, later shared more in-depth thoughts on the change.
“In terms of tone and character, I don’t think it’ll impact the show at all,” he told The Wrap in May. “Our show is a road show. Our character goes from town to town across the United States of America and meets people from all different walks of life and helps them out. These strangers become kind of his family in a way.”
The actor expressed excitement about making the move to Los Angeles.
“To be able to shoot in a different place that gives us different landscapes, we’re able to go to places — New York, D.C., the desert, Texas, the beach,” Hartley noted. “It just opens up our world in terms of landscape, which is such a big character of our show.”
