The City of New Orleans will be the backdrop for the first movie production to leave the state of Georgia amid protest of the state’s new voting laws. Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s spokesperson, Beau Tidwell, said the Will Smith feature, Emancipation, is moving to Louisiana.
“The actor and he’s also the executive producer on that project, the director Antoine Fuqua they made the decision to move that project from Georgia to New Orleans based on the voter laws that were passed in Georgia recently,” said Tidwell.
Emancipation is a drama based on the true story of an enslaved man who escapes from a plantation during the Civil War and joins the union army. It was scheduled to begin filming near Savannah in June.
Tidwell said this could be the first of many productions leaving Georgia and relocating to Louisiana.
“We want to emphasize as we always do, that New Orleans is a welcoming city, we believe that’s a key part of why Will Smith and his production joined us here in New Orleans. We’re glad to have them,” said Tidwell.
As for what the economic impact will be on the city, Tidwell said he doesn’t have the numbers yet.
“It’s an Apple TV production, I know it was initially budgeted at around $100 million, that presents significant investments, significant jobs for New Orleans. As we get those numbers, we’ll update you,” said Tidwell.
Emancipation will be the second Apple TV production filmed in Louisiana. The Tom Hanks feature Greyhound was shot in Baton Rouge in 2019
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