Utah will serve as the backdrop for three upcoming film productions, including an eighth season of “The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.”
The Utah Film Commission announced Friday the Utah Board of Tourism Development approved three new productions for state film incentives — further expanding Utah’s pipeline of upcoming projects and bolstering its reputation as an emerging film hub.
Together, the three upcoming productions are projected to carry an economic impact of $9.3 million and create over 100 jobs across six counties, including Washington, Kane, Uintah, Iron and Utah counties, according to the Salt Lake Film Commission.
Among the approved productions is an eighth installment of “The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch,” a hit reality-documentary series on the History Channel that follows a team of scientists and researchers investigating the infamous 500-acre ranch in Utah’s Uinta basin.
Also approved is an untitled feature film from Utah-based writer and director Robert Machoian (“Omaha,” “The Killing of Two Lovers”), scheduled to begin filming by fall.
“What resonated with me were the people of rural Utah — their preparedness, independence, privacy, devotion to family, and deep belief in taking care of their own,” Machoian shared in a statement.
“Utah’s landscape is rugged and uniquely beautiful, and I cannot imagine telling this story honestly anywhere else. We’re grateful to the Utah Film Commission for their support and we’re excited to bring this production to the state.”
A second feature, “The Last Treasure Hunt,” which will film in Kane and Washington counties, has also been approved for state film incentives.
“The approval of these three productions is a targeted investment in our state’s film industry,” Virginia Pearce, director of the Utah Film Commission, said in a statement.
She continued, “By leveraging our film incentive program, we are fueling a ripple effect of activity that extends far beyond the screen by creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and diversifying the local economy.”
Moving into 2027, Utah is ready for film production on a statewide level as all 29 counties are prepared to support productions with location, local coordination and community support, the commission announced in January.
“We’ve cultivated a thriving ecosystem of talent, infrastructure and incentives that will continue to attract filmmakers and productions to our beautiful state,” Pearce shared in a January statement.
Pearce added, “We remain focused on investing in a strong film industry, one that drives our creative economy and inspires the next generation of artists and audiences. We believe that Utah is a place full of innovation and creativity. We want to see that thrive and grow organically.”
Utah’s diverse landscape and neighborhoods have provided backdrops for thousands of movies and other film productions over the last century and continue to entice filmmakers.
High-profile films such as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “Thelma & Louise,” “Footloose,” “Forrest Gump” and Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” were filmed in Utah, as well as dozens of Disney movies such as “High School Musical” and “The Luck of the Irish.”
During the last year, the Utah Film Commission announced more than 30 additional projects approved for state film incentives, including another installment of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” a “Yellowstone” spinoff series, a final season of “The Chosen” and several independent feature films.
How do film incentives in Utah work?
Utah offers two main film incentive programs — the Motion Picture Incentive Program and the Community Film Incentive Program — that both help productions stretch their budget by giving tax credits or cash rebates for money spent in the state, per the Utah Film Commission.
The Motion Picture Incentive Program
- Applies to big movies, documentaries and TV shows.
- To qualify, 75% of cast and crew must be Utah residents and 75% of production days must occur in rural Utah.
- Productions that qualify can earn a fully refundable tax credit of up to 25% of in-state spend.
The Community Film Incentive Program
- Applies to smaller projects, particularly local filmmakers.
- To qualify, the director, writer or producer must be a Utah resident and 85% of cast and crew must be Utah residents.
- Productions that qualify can earn a cash rebate of up to 20%.
The incentive programs are not available for productions such as commercials or campaigns, infomercials, sporting events, news, live broadcasts or award shows.
Some of the other factors the Utah Film Commission considers before approving a production for an incentive program include: the number of jobs created in Utah, number of production days in Utah, local cast and crew wages, ability to highlight Utah as a tourist destination, whether the production reflects positively on Utah, and the production’s projected economic impact on Utah.