Sony Pictures’ Karate Kid: Legends brought an all-star production to Atlanta, Georgia, with cast members and crew reflecting on why the city continues to be a go-to destination for world-class filmmaking.
By championing a homegrown film industry, Cody Chesneau is proving that Georgia doesn’t need to wait on outside companies to tell its own stories. As CEO of Film Quality Services based in Flowery Branch, Georgia, Chesneau believes that the talent, crews and infrastructure to create world-class content already exist right here in Georgia.
The Music Education Group, Inc. (MEG) proudly announces the 4th Annual Music Technology Summit, taking place Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at SAE Institute Atlanta.
The debate is over: film, entertainment and the broader creative industries are essential drivers of economic growth. Those of us in the industry know it, and most policymakers do too. The evidence is everywhere.
Warner Bros is calling the global opening of Wuthering Heights at $82M, that’s $42M international and $40M domestic.
Andy Browne played his first gig with his band The Nightporters – a local group that lit up Atlanta’s punk scene in the 1980s – when he was 14 years old. Now, roughly 40 years later, he’s exploring something a little softer.
Presented by Ghost Gaming and Ghost Launchpad in partnership with Shine A Light Gaming and Georgia Humanities, the event will feature a panel discussion, hands-on game development workshops, and a 48-hour Game Jam centered on the theme Build Together.
Ryan Johnson, founder and CEO of Cxmmunity Media, has launched The Kickback’s 2026 tour. The announcement comes on the heels of Johnson being named co-recipient of Georgia’s 2026 Entertainment Entrepreneur of the Year award alongside co-founder Chris Peay at Georgia Entertainment’s Signature 100 event at Trilith LIVE.
It is time again for USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This year’s competition includes a category for Film Festivals, and the Atlanta Film Festival is in the running.
The Columbus Creators Mixer on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at The Loft in Columbus will provide information on “How to Become a Storyteller” and “The Economics of Storytelling,” which will include creators across all disciplines, providing education on storytelling fundamentals and helping participants understand what resources are locally available to them.
Stephanie Baur has built a career ensuring action sequences are both thrilling and safe, translating a director’s vision into choreography that performers and stunt teams can execute without risk
In this behind-the-scenes look from the Georgia Film Office, the Blue Beetle team discusses their first-time experience working in Atlanta and the incredible Georgia film crew.
Former NFL star Champ Bailey, now executive producer of “Signing Tony Raymond,” reflects on how football shaped his approach to teamwork and process.
Screenwriter La Monte Edwards has completed the screenplay for The Ambulance Chaser, the feature adaptation of Brian Cuban’s acclaimed legal thriller that is being developed by award-winning producer Autumn Bailey-Ford. The collaboration marks a fusion of authenticity, cultural depth, and character-driven storytelling.
The Spruill Center for the Arts announced on Feb. 9 its plans to open Spruill Studios, a new studio facility in the former Chamblee City Hall, focused on providing affordable creative space for artists in metro Atlanta.
The media merger leading into 2026 is a development that excites and inspires international entertainment executive Michael Fisk, and it’s one he’s actively developing as he stirs up a communal concoction of sports, cinema and live entertainment with all of it instantaneously available right in front of you on the big screen.
The Opening Reception kicks off the film festival on Friday, February 27th, from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Emma Darnell Aviation Museum and Conference Center.
Students at several Gwinnett-area schools are getting the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience in every aspect of content creation as Illinois-based Fresh Films has returned to metro Atlanta with its “Lights, Camera, Future” program.
What can be as bad as a 2,000-mile snowstorm that shutters theaters? Why, Super Bowl weekend. And while it’s not the lowest weekend of the year, it came close.
John Hall and Don Mandrik of Hall Booth Smith introduce their firm’s expanding role in Georgia’s entertainment industry. With deep roots in Georgia and a national and international reach, the firm represents a wide range of clients across film, television, music, production, and financing.
By the time Walker reached his 20th year in the entertainment business in Los Angeles, he realized something: “I produced for a lot of other people, and I didn’t see myself having the brand that I wanted anymore.”
Each month we bring you a list of ongoing productions in Georgia. This information is provided by Georgia.org and reproduced by Georgia Entertainment to bring you the latest, verified, productions.
Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens, Invest Atlanta President and CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich, Central Atlanta Progress President A.J. Robinson, and Showcase Atlanta Interim Executive Director Lamar Stewart held a joint press conference on Feb. 3 to discuss how small businesses can benefit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Board of Directors announced today that, in a unanimous vote held on Monday, it elected Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro to become Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns has announced that America’s first major national film festival exclusively for historical documentaries will launch March 4th-8th, in Savannah, GA.
Stephen Owen & Daniel Arita talk about CineFi, which has launched as the first fully digital credit union specifically serving entertainment industry professionals, including those in television, film, music, gaming, content creation, and influencer sectors, in Atlanta and nationwide.
The Georgia Department of Education is creating new fine arts pathways for high school students and advocating for an expansion of fine arts staffing at the elementary level along with the inclusion of AP, IB, and Cambridge fine arts courses for HOPE Rigor credit.
During Heart Month this February, Fortnite players around the world will step into a powerful, story-driven experience that blends gameplay, empathy and real-world impact. “Super Pet World,” a free-to-play Fortnite island developed by Ghost Gaming, is launching a limited-time side quest, “Side Quest: Heartbeat on the Wind,” created in support of Enduring Hearts, the only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to funding pediatric heart transplant research.
Georgia Entertainment has announced plans to hold its signature “From Story to Scale” event series during the SXSW conference and festivals to spotlight the state’s resources, infrastructure, world-class studio facilities and incentives.
Ken Merritt, CEO of Off the Rails Productions and renowned independent filmmaker, invites Georgia’s entertainment media to the premiere of his latest short film, The Filmmaker.
Across sports, film, music, gaming, immersive entertainment and tourism, we are observing the same repeating pattern. Organizations that were built for one purpose are expanding into new, multipurpose arenas. Facilities designed for production are being reimagined as creator spaces. Stories once confined to a stage or a screen are becoming audience experiences.
With formats ranging from fireside chats and presentations to workshops and mentor sessions, the Innovation Conference is where deeper learning and discovery thrives. Keynotes and Featured Sessions are open to all attendees with Platinum, Innovation, Music, and Film & TV badges.
Here’s the skinny on a very unconventional weekend that included a right-wing documentary from a former tentpole Hollywood filmmaker (Amazon MGM Studios’ Brett Ratner-directed Melania in third with $7M) and an indie film from a YouTuber (Markiplier’s Iron Lung with $17.8M in No. 2), which will hopefully herald in a revolutionary era for social media influencers on the big screen.
The ceremony was attended by the jury and artists receiving honors, in advance of the final day of the Festival on February 1. The 2026 Festival has featured premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, including programming that honored Robert Redford and his vision that has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema around the world.
As the flagship program of ATL Jewish Film, the 2026 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival presents 49 feature films and 16 short films from 20 countries, including newly announced distinctions such as the North American Premiere of Stay Forte and the Oscar-nominated short film The Butterfly.
The Woodruff Arts Center—home to the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and High Museum of Art—celebrated a transformative milestone: the grand opening of the all-new Goizueta Stage for Youth & Families and PNC PlaySpace, made possible through a successful $67 million capital campaign and years of visionary planning.
As the driving force behind Trilith’s development, Cathy shares his vision for 2026 as the year when all the pieces come together, from new hotels and restaurants to the grand opening of Trilith LIVE, positioning the community as a major player in Georgia’s booming entertainment economy.
Writer, director, and producer Aaron Strand sat down with Georgia Entertainment to discuss his micro-budget feature “Withdrawal,” a raw examination of addiction and codependency that follows a singer-songwriter and her rebellious boyfriend as they attempt to quit heroin cold turkey to avoid rehab. Shot entirely in Athens with a Georgia-based cast and crew, the film premiered to a sold-out crowd at the Atlanta Film Festival.
Commentary from Georgia Entertainment Editor in Chief, Jennifer Reynolds. “The media is no longer fueled by reporting the truth. Now, misrepresentation, political agendas and clickbait are the heartbeat of this industry.”
Introduction to Costume Design was developed by longtime costumer Hollis Smith, whose credits include WandaVision, The Walking Dead and Ms. Marvel. The course is taught by Mia Nunnally, whose work includes Ozark, Stranger Things and Captain America: Civil War.
The majority of the award-winning shorts can be viewed online nationwide January 29 to February 1 for audiences to experience from home.
For nearly two hours, I talked. I bragged about Georgia’s state-of-the-art facilities. I touted its investment in training a skilled labor force—some of the best crews in the world. I celebrated the collaboration across the Department of Education and the University System of Georgia to develop curriculum pipelines from middle school through graduate programs that nurture the next generation of storytellers.
At the annual reception, the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize was awarded to In The Blink of An Eye from director Andrew Stanton and screenwriter Colby Day, which centers around the connection between science and human existence.
Now in its 14th year, the university’s flagship celebration of television and streaming brings together acclaimed creators, performers, and industry leaders with fans and students from SCAD’s top-ranked acting and film and television degree programs for screenings, premieres, conversations, and honors recognizing excellence across the evolving television landscape.
CineVantage will mentor the sound designers and composers throughout the program to deliver professional audio that elevates their branded spots to theatrical quality.
The panel focused on how the United States can continue to champion film production, strengthen local economies and protect U.S. jobs amid increasing global competition. The discussion highlighted the importance of federal, state and local film incentives, as well as the role that collaboration plays in keeping production thriving across the country.
Georgia Entertainment’s From Script to Screen delivered its strongest programming yet during what proved to be a bittersweet occasion: the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
SCAD screened 8 of the 10 official Best Picture nominees, demonstrating the festival’s unique role in bringing the year’s most acclaimed films to Savannah. The screened nominees included: Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, and Sinners.
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) today announced honorees and programming for SCAD TVfest, taking place Feb. 4–6, 2026, in Midtown Atlanta’s SCADshow theater. The celebration brings together acclaimed creators, performers, and industry leaders with fans and students from SCAD’s top-ranked acting and film and television degree programs for screenings, premieres, conversations, and honors recognizing excellence across the evolving television landscape.
When a “writer and editor” from the Wall Street Journal reaches out and says he’s “working on a story,” most people reasonably assume they’re participating in reporting. That was the expectation across Georgia’s film and entertainment community. And it’s why access, time and candid conversations were offered almost comprehensively and in good faith.
Winners of the Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producers Awards were announced, with two $10,000 grants — one for fiction and the other for nonfiction — awarded to producers Apoorva Guru Charan (Take Me Home) and Dawne Langford (Who Killed Alex Odeh?).
About 400 theaters have closed, which has sent the opening for Amazon MGM Studios‘ Chris Pratt movie to $11.2M, in addition to impacting other titles. Rivals might cry that for a $60M production, this isn’t the ideal start, but then again, they’re not Amazon which as a $2.55 trillion company has no stakes.
Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute celebrated the filmmakers selected for the 2026 Merata Mita Fellowship and the Graton Fellowship. The fellows were announced at the Sundance Film Festival’s Native Forum Celebration presented by Merrell during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Reel Friends, an Atlanta-based production company focused on community-driven film experiences founded by Rocco Shapiro, is teaming up with BFF (formerly Bumble BFF) to present a special screening of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement on Tuesday, January 27 at the Tara Theatre.
Film professor Frank Hall Green and freshman Pilot Bunch join forces on ‘Run Amok’, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival Jan. 26.
Oscar®-nominated actor Danielle Brooks and actor Lewis Pullman announced the 98th Oscars® nominations today (Thursday, January 22, 2026), live from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills via a global livestream on Oscars.org, Oscar.com and the Academy’s digital platforms, ABC’s Good Morning America and ABC News Live, Disney+, Hulu, broadcast media and an international satellite feed.
The Kansas City, Missouri-native landed a position at Columbus State University as an assistant professor for film and production courses, as well as social media. Since moving to Columbus, Bova has found that there’s a lot of potential in the city for local filmmakers, especially due to the support of the Columbus Film Office.
Dunwoody is tapping into its global sensibilities to gear up for the 2026 World Cup, aiming to draw in a whole new crowd and getting creative with how they do it.
The Columbus Film Office is broadening its scope beyond traditional film production to embrace the full spectrum of creative industries, from gaming and music to podcasts and digital content creation.
Karl J. Rouse, associate dean of the School of Film and Acting at Savannah College of Art and Design, champions SCAD’s Atlanta campus as a hub for phenomenal industry projects and student opportunities.
Commentary from Georgia Entertainment President, Jezlan Moyet: The convergence of these worlds is unfolding everywhere. It’s this intersection that defines Georgia’s creative economy. From the court to the concert stage, creative direction itself has become an art form, one that reflects culture as much as it creates it.
On Jan. 16, 150 days out from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Atlanta Host Committee held its monthly press conference. The virtual press conference provides journalists with updates on the city’s preparations ahead of the global soccer event taking place this summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
James Cameron’s Na’Vi sent Sony’s Infected running away from the top spot at the box office as 20th Century Studios’ Avatar: Fire and Ash pulled in $17.2M over the four-day fifth weekend while 28 Days Years Later: The Bone Temple came in below its $20M+ tracking projections with a studio-reported $15M (by the way no other studio sees it there).
Gap Inc. (NYSE: GAP) today announced the appointment of Pam Kaufman as Executive Vice President, Chief Entertainment Officer. In this newly created role, Kaufman will report to Gap Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard Dickson, starting February 2.
Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the fellows selected for the 2026 Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive programs, which foster creativity and bold risk-taking, empower emerging voices, and support the development and launch of their first and second features. Selected from over 3,800 submissions, the 11 Screenwriters Lab fellows will convene in a connected community to work under the guidance of esteemed advisors to develop their original scripts.
The 2026 event will present 45 innovative and pivotal companies, hand-selected by the SXSW Pitch advisory board out of 600 applications, within nine distinct categories to a panel of industry experts, including high-profile media professionals, venture capital investors and angel investors.
Tony has all but disappeared, hiding from recruiters promising grand NIL deals and more in his tiny, rural Alabama hometown. Walt — along with every other college coach in the country — descends upon the town to find him.
Earlier this week, Georgia Entertainment co-hosted “Beyond the Spotlight: Investing in Sports and Entertainment” alongside CAIA. The event was presented by Ares Management Corporation and Variant Investments along with other supporting partners including Resolve Media, Hall Booth Smith, PC and Southern Isle Pictures.
Corey Cott, who joined the hit NBC police procedural early this season, has been promoted to a series regular.
The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced the appointment of David Linde as Chief Executive Officer. Linde will assume the role effective on February 17, 2026.
A marquee highlight of the 2026 festival is an intimate celebrity fireside conversation with actor French Stewart and writer/producer Vanessa Claire Stewart, offering rare access to the creative life behind decades of comedy on screen.
One Rock Capital Partners, LLC (“One Rock”) announced today that one of its affiliates has acquired a majority stake in American Furniture Rentals, Inc. (“AFR” or the “Company”).
In her new role, Reynolds will streamline content and operations across Georgia Entertainment’s channels, overseeing editorial strategy, team management and production of The Creative Economy Journal, an annual feature magazine.
Southern Scares is the second feature film put on by director and screenwriter Paul Rowe’s Last Caress Productions, in partnership with producer Andy Carpenter and Trey Walker’s Mud Films. The project debuted on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Springer Opera House in downtown Columbus, which also happens to be one of the locations featured in the project.
Gov. Brian Kemp underscored Georgia’s growing leadership in sports and entertainment innovation in a letter featured in the 2026 edition of “The Creative Economy Journal,” unveiled by Georgia Entertainment at the Signature 100 gala Dec. 11.
Designed specifically for the unique financial realities of creative professionals, CineFi’s tailored digital experience is built upon more than 50 years of entertainment industry expertise. Launched by First Entertainment Credit Union, the premier financial institution for movie and television professionals both above and below the line, CineFi brings a future-ready banking platform to creatives in Atlanta and beyond.
The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the jurors granting awards for artistic and cinematic excellence at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
The spotlight is officially on Tucker as The Brio Theater, a female, Black-owned performing arts and creative hub, celebrates its highly anticipated grand opening with a series of community events and ribbon cuttings this January.
According to Netflix, the series generated over $650 million for Georgia’s GDP, where the show was primarily filmed despite being set in fictional Hawkins, Indiana. The production engaged more than 2,000 Georgia-based vendors and created thousands of jobs across the state’s film, hospitality and tourism sectors.
Even though James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash isn’t as strong as the first two films stateside with an anticipated running four weekend total tomorrow of $342.6M, about -34% behind Avatar: Way of Water, the movie is powerful enough to be the roux of the January box office.
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF), the flagship program of the year-round organization ATL Jewish Film, today announced the official lineup for its 26th edition, taking place in theaters across metro Atlanta February 18–March 3, 2026.
As the state’s legislative session begins, it’s clear that Georgia’s creative industries — film, music, gaming and the broader creator economy — are once again part of the quiet but consequential conversations taking place around the Gold Dome.
The festival, running from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2, 2026, in Park City, Utah, is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, attracting more than 120,000 filmmakers, financiers and entertainment executives.
Ozulumba’s role in the tournament grew directly out of an internship he secured while still a student at Georgia State—an opportunity facilitated through CMII.
Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the lineup for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival’s annual Beyond Film talks and events, a series featuring artist conversations and experts from various fields being held Friday, January 23–Friday, January 30.
By Carol Badaracco Padgett He’s fought Denzel Washington and also Jackie Chan—twice. And he’s called Atlanta home for the past…
Discover Dunwoody recognizes Ashley Saunders as the Quarter 4 2025 recipient of the Distinguished Production Associate Award.
Directed by Georgia-based filmmaker Loyd Bateman, “Crimson Cove” follows a group of friends who inadvertently find themselves at odds with a small surfer community while on a bachelor trip. The rising tensions explode, turning a carefree weekend away into a nightmare.
Savannah Regional Film Commission has announced an update to its local film incentive program, introducing a new Tier 1 Local Film Production Rebate aimed at supporting independent filmmakers and locally driven projects.
Commentary from Georgia Entertainment founder and CEO, Randy Davidson on Georgia’s future: “The creative economy is evolving into a full blown innovation economy touching every industry segment. And with thoughtful leadership and continued collaboration, the next chapter of storytelling, across every medium, can be written right here in the Peach State.”
Georgia Entertainment Founder and CEO Randy Davidson sat down with Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Rachel Cohen Noebes to discuss the future of Georgia’s film industry as part of her larger story on the conclusion of the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things”.
Trilith LIVE, the region’s newest state-of-the-art entertainment and special event venue, announces its grand opening season, set to ignite Fayetteville with a vibrant slate of concerts, family shows, corporate meetings and community events. The grand opening season begins Jan. 15, 2026, with its first entertainment event.
Each month we bring you a list of ongoing productions in Georgia. This information is provided by Georgia.org and reproduced by Georgia Entertainment to bring you the latest, verified, productions.
Refresh for analysis It’s a very good start to the year with all movies grossing $134.7M this weekend; in fact that’s the best first weekend of a New Year post-Covid, besting 2023’s $104.2M.
The 19-year-old Georgia native stars as Erica Sinclair, the wise-cracking younger sister of Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), on “Stranger Things.” She also graduated from Fayette County High School earlier this year, refusing to miss out on real life teenage experiences.
The weekend opening for James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash is slightly higher both domestic and worldwide respectively with $89M and $347M. Sunday came in better stateside with an estimated $24.5M than the $23M Disney called it at; yesterday holding at -13% from Saturday.
In November, Dunaway Gardens announced via press release that it would be the new home for the Sundance Institute’s Episodic Lab program, bringing a little piece of Sundance to Georgia.
Some metro cities and rural Georgia towns draw so many holiday productions they gain an aka designation, like “Holiday Headquarters” for film-famous Dunwoody or “Hallmark Town” for historic Dahlonega.
LinkedIn and Comcast NBCUniversal are collaborating to provide four nonprofits with marketing support through NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab and LinkedIn Ad Grants, with Atlanta’s film nonprofit RE:IMAGINE being selected as one.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and YouTube signed a multi-year deal that will give YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars®, beginning in 2029 with the 101st Oscars ceremony and running through 2033.