State officials and Illinois film industry leaders announced on Thursday, March 19, that film production expenditures in Illinois reached a record-breaking high of $703 million in 2025, supporting an estimated 18,000 in industry hires, representing a 25 percent increase in film expenditures since before the pandemic in 2019.
The milestone reflects Illinois’ continued momentum as one of the nation’s leading destinations for film and television production and underscores the impact of strategic investments made by the Pritzker administration to grow the state’s film industry.
“For nearly 120 years, Illinois has helped shape the film and television industry — from the early days of Charlie Chaplin to today’s hit productions like Chicago Fire, The Bear, and The Chi,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “By investing in our workforce, expanding our film tax credit, and building world-class production infrastructure, Illinois is creating good union jobs and attracting major productions from across the industry.”
Since taking office, Pritzker has prioritized investments to grow Illinois’ film industry and strengthen the state’s competitiveness for major productions. These efforts include expanding the Illinois Film Production Tax Credit multiple times, extending the incentive until 2039, and launching the Film & TV Workforce Training Program to connect more Illinois residents with careers in the industry.
Pritzker also launched the Illinois Soundstage Capital Grant Program in 2024, which funds studio infrastructure projects to help attract large scale projects to Illinois
Chicago now ranks as the third best big city for those who work in the film industry.
According to an independent analysis, the state’s tax credit has resulted in a $6.81 return on investment for every dollar spent on the incentive, resulting in over $4.5 billion in economic activity between FY17 and FY24. Notably, 94% of this growth has been attributed to the impact of Gov. Pritzker’s enhanced tax credits and investments.
Since the launch of the Film & TV Workforce Training Program, the Illinois Film Office has partnered with various organizations across the state and successfully trained over 550 individuals. More than 60% of these participants have secured short-term or long-term job opportunities, including roles with Somebody Somewhere; The Bear; The Deli Boys; Chicago Med, Fire, and PD; along with independent film productions and commercials.
