Bob Iger on Disney, Star Wars, Marvel Studios Productions Leaving Georgia

Disney CEO Bob Iger just commented on the position of the House of Mouse and their numerous franchises continuing to film in Georgia if the state’s recently passed hardline stance on abortion goes into effect in 2020.

Iger commented to Reuters during a chat at the Anaheim Disneyland park ahead of the kickoff ceremony for their new themed land Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that he didn’t “see how it’s practical for us to continue to shoot there,” if the law, which would ban any abortions for any reason past the detection of a fetal heartbeat (usually around 8 weeks) and enact harsh penalties if violated, does go into effect. “I rather doubt we will.”

This has been a subject several of the big player studios haven’t addressed yet as a whole, and were instead leaving it up to the various productions to make their own decisions. Netflix, however, has been very outspoken on the matter.

“We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law,” Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos told Variety in an exclusive statement. “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.”

“I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Right now we are watching it very carefully,” Iger said.

Disney-owned properties like the extremely lucrative Marvel Studios titles, the Star Wars films, and numerous upcoming Disney+ live-action titles and more already film in Georgia, making use of Pinewood Atlanta Studios.

It will be interesting to see if this encourages the state, which offers large tax break incentives to studios to film there, to revisit the law.