Well-liked music competitors present “American Idol” is shifting manufacturing from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Georgia, after greater than twenty years.
Producers are reportedly in talks with a studio advanced within the space, but it surely stays unclear whether or not they’ve signed a deal.
In the meantime, the judges’ lineup has but to be confirmed following Lionel Richie’s latest well being scare.
ABC actuality big “American Idol” is leaving its longtime Hollywood headquarters for Georgia amid a rising wave of actuality TV exhibits exiting Los Angeles.
Fremantle, which produces the long-lasting singing competitors alongside Sony Footage Tv’s 19 Leisure, confirmed that the collection will shift its main manufacturing base to the Atlanta space for its upcoming twenty fifth season, per Deadline.
Stories counsel the corporate is working to finalize a cope with a studio advanced within the space. Filming for the brand new season, which premieres within the new yr, is ready to start quickly.
Atlanta is already residence to in depth studio infrastructure, having hosted main Marvel Studios blockbusters in addition to unscripted TV hits like ABC’s “Press Your Luck” and FOX’s “The 1% Membership.”
‘American Idol’ Already Took Hollywood Week Out Of Hollywood
In hindsight, the collection gave the impression to be testing the waters for operations exterior L.A.
For greater than twenty years, the catchphrase “You’re going to Hollywood!” served because the present’s defining badge of honor. Judges delivered the road to contestants who handed their preliminary auditions and earned a golden ticket to the subsequent spherical, Hollywood Week.
Nonetheless, season 24 seemed totally different, as that round didn’t happen in Hollywood. As an alternative, it befell in Nashville, Tennessee, and was dubbed the “Music Metropolis Takeover.”
That portion of the present often takes place a number of months after auditions. Final season, nonetheless, manufacturing held it instantly afterward to capitalize on the singers’ pleasure about advancing.
“The momentum of getting by means of, getting a golden ticket, making it to Hollywood previously has been possibly typically months,” showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick defined to Deadline. “There was a momentum that I wished to experiment with.”
Georgia’s Tax Incentives Seem To Sweeten The Deal
In the meantime, rising costs and competitive state tax incentives seem to have pushed the present towards “Y’allywood,” the nickname for Georgia’s booming leisure sector.
Georgia gives a transferable movie and tv tax credit score of as much as 30% for qualifying unscripted productions that spend no less than $500,000 throughout the state.
FOX’s “The Masked Singer” additionally moved manufacturing from L.A. to New Jersey for the same purpose. The state “gives manufacturing tax incentives of 30% on certified bills with as much as 40% on sure studio initiatives,” together with unscripted exhibits.
California, in the meantime, just lately expanded its personal movie and tv tax credit score program to incorporate choose unscripted initiatives with a minimal price range of $1 million per episode, a criterion that “American Idol” reportedly doesn’t meet.
L.A.’s Actuality TV Manufacturing Takes A Steep Hit
The newest improvement underscores L.A.’s rising wrestle to retain unscripted tv, with FOX’s “The Masked Singer” additionally leaving throughout the identical one-year interval.
In line with information from FilmLA, actuality TV manufacturing within the metropolis dropped roughly 63% over 5 years as networks sought cheaper filming places throughout the nation or overseas, per Deadline.
The report additionally confirmed that unscripted manufacturing in L.A. recorded 40% fewer shoot days than within the second quarter of 2025, at the same time as tv manufacturing total rose yr over yr.
‘American Idol’ Judges Stay Unconfirmed As Auditions Start
Digital auditions for the upcoming twenty fifth season are already underway, with in-person auditions usually going down in October or November.
In line with Deadline, host and Atlanta native Ryan Seacrest, together with judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood, are “anticipated” to return for the milestone season.
Nonetheless, ABC has not but confirmed the judges’ lineup. The announcement continues to be pending after Richie’s latest well being scare.
The 77-year-old singer underwent cardiac testing in an ICU after checking himself into the hospital late final month, per TMZ.
A supply later advised PEOPLE that he was again residence in L.A. and was “doing nice.”
