Production Companies Won't Film In Georgia After Passage Of Controversial 'Heartbeat Bill'

Hollywood has hit back on Georgia after signing its controversial new abortion bill into law.

The “heartbeat bill” was officially signed into Georgia law on Tuesday by Gov. Brian Kemp. Under the law, an abortion cannot be performed if a fetal heartbeat is detected, which could be as soon as six weeks.

The law would officially go into effect Jan. 1, 2020, but Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union is already planning to challenge the law in court.

And now, several production companies have declared their intent to move productions out of Georgia due to the law.

Christine Vachon of Killer Films, David Simon of Blown Deadline Productions, and Mark Duplass of Duplass Brother Productions have all declared their intention to move its film and TV productions out of Georgia. The state has become a hotbed of major productions over the last few years, including Marvel Studios’ films and AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” In fact, Georgia’s governor’s office announced that an estimated $2.7 billion came into the state in 2018 because of such productions.

All three company heads took to Twitter to declare their intent to not film in Georgia until the law is reversed.

Killer Films will no longer consider Georgia as a viable shooting location until this ridiculous law is overturned.
— Christine Vachon (@kvpi) May 9, 2019

I can’t ask any female member of any film production with which I am involved to so marginalize themselves or compromise their inalienable authority over their own bodies. I must undertake production where the rights of all citizens remain intact. Other filmmakers will see this. https://t.co/V2xDPKiMpo
— David Simon (@AoDespair) May 8, 2019

Don’t give your business to Georgia. Will you pledge with me not to film anything in Georgia until they reverse this backwards legislation?
— Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) May 9, 2019

But the rest of Hollywood seems to be waiting to see how things unfold with this law. CNN received a statement from the Motion Picture Association of America, explaining their stance on the situation.

“Film and television production in Georgia supports more than 92,000 jobs and brings significant economic benefits to communities and families,” the statement read. “It is important to remember that similar legislation has been attempted in other states, and has either been enjoined by the courts or is currently being challenged. The outcome in Georgia will also be determined through the legal process. We will continue to monitor developments.”

And the backlash Georgia’s abortion law generated is affecting debates around similar laws. In Alabama, the state’s Senate voted to delay a vote on a law that would have made Alabama the most restrictive in the U.S. when it comes to abortion.

In March, over 50 celebrities signed an open letter penned by actress Alyssa Milano that stand in opposition of the law.