Netflix has declared in a statement to Variety that it will "rethink our entire investment in Georgia" if the state's new anti-abortion law comes into effect.
On May 7, Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed a bill into law banning abortions if the fetus has a heartbeat, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. If the bill survives legal challenges, it will come into effect on January 1, 2020.
When asked about the bill, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said, "We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law. It’s why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court.
"Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we’ll continue to film there, while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we’d rethink our entire investment in Georgia."
Netflix was the only major studio to respond to Variety's request for comment. However, other individuals and smaller production companies have already pulled out of Georgia, or in the case of J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele, have pledged to donate their fees to the ACLU.
Stranger Things and Ozark are two Netflix projects filmed in Georgia. Other major shows and movies filmed in the state include AMC's The Walking Dead and Disney's Marvel movies, such as Avengers: Endgame. The state is a popular location for film and television productions thanks to attractive tax incentives, boosting the state's economy. In 2018, Georgia reported an economic impact of more than $9 billion from the film industry.
