logo
How Britain became Hollywood's biggest threat as Trump threatens movie tariffs

How Britain became Hollywood's biggest threat as Trump threatens movie tariffs

Daily Mirror05-05-2025

President Trump has announced plans to hit films made outside of the UK with 100% tariffs in a bid to save the US' 'dying' film industry as filmmakers move abroad to keep costs down
Donald Trump has said he is planning to hit films made outside the US with 100% tariffs as he ramps up more trade disputes. The president has announced he is imposing a levy on foreign films because America's film industry was "dying a very fast death" due to soaring costs of filming in Hollywood.
The growing cost of production in Hollywood has resulted in filmmakers moving production overseas to keep costs low and now it appears the UK may be giving Tinseltown a run for its money.

Trump has blamed a "concerted effort" by other countries that offer incentives for films to be made elsewhere - something he thinks is a "national security threat".

Trump took to his Truth Social platform and said: "It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda! WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!"
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded to the announcement, saying "We're on it". However it's not clear what will come into place and whether the tariff would apply to American production companies producing films abroad. Films such as Deadpool & Wolverine, Wicked and Gladiator II were all produced by US studios but were shot outside of America.
It's part of the imposed film tariffs the president has imposed on the rest of the world since his return to the White House in January. He stated these tariffs will help boost US manufacturers and protect jobs, despite throwing the global economy into chaos.
It's also unclear if the tariffs would apply for films on streaming services including Netflix, as well as cinemas. Timothy Richards, founder of VUE cinema chain shared his thoughts on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He questioned how Trump would define a US film and said: "Is it where the money comes from? The script, the director, the talent, where it was shot?"
He further explained how the cost of filming in Hollywood has significantly grown over the decades which has meant filmmakers have been drawn to move production to locations including the UK, which have increasingly offered tax incentives and lower costs.
"But it's not just the actual financing itself. One of reasons UK has done so well is we have some of the most highly experienced and skilled film and production crew in the world, the devil will be in the details," Mr Richards added.

But if these tariffs come into play, UK media union Bectu warned they could "deal a knock-out blow" to the industry including the thousands of freelancers. Union chief Philippa Childs told the BBC: "The government must move swiftly to defend this vital sector, and support the freelancers who power it, as a matter of essential national economic interest."
In response to the tariff threats, the UK government said it was "absolutely committed" to making sure the film sector thrives and create jobs. This includes plans to do so in its upcoming Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Ahead of his inauguration, Trump appointed film stars Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone to become special ambassadors tasked with promoting business opportunities in Hollywood, which he described as a "great but very troubled place". Trump wrote at the time: "They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK - BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!"

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

HAIM respond to Glastonbury Festival 2025 rumours:
HAIM respond to Glastonbury Festival 2025 rumours:

Scotsman

time23 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

HAIM respond to Glastonbury Festival 2025 rumours:

The group will be in the United Kingdom for the Dreamland Summer Series in Margate on June 27. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... HAIM have addressed the rumours that they 'could' perform at Glastonbury Festival 2025. The discussion arose during an interview on BBC Radio 2 overnight with Jo Whiley. The band, however, merely stated that they would be 'in the area' around the time of the festival. One of the more persistent rumours alongside Pulp performing a secret set at Glastonbury Festival later this month is that of the potential that HAIM 'could' fill one of the secret slots. Whether it be the sisters performing under the pseudonym Patchwork, or perform one of the litany of TBA slots revealed since the launch of the official timetable, many believe that the group - who last performed at Glastonbury in 2022 - are going to make an appearance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To finish off the UK leg of their 'I quit' tour, American rock band Haim will play the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Friday, October 31. | Getty Images for Prime Video So when the band appeared on Jo Whiley's BBC Radio 2 show earlier this week (June 10 2025), the question was brought up by the host, with HAIM responding in cryptic fashion. 'Well, we're playing Margate,' Este explained, before the sisters would suggest that they 'shall be in the area.' When asked what their favourite stage at Glastonbury is to play on, Alana responded 'We love the Park Stage. The Park Stage is our favourite (because) that was like the first time we came to Glastonbury (...) it felt like a movie.' She continued: 'It was like 'What is going on? How did we get here, and also just like - you never forget the first time you step onto the farm. It's the most insane feeling, I think, that you'll ever have.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 'best festival in the world,' according to the sisters, does have a rather large TBA sized gap on the Park Stage scheduled between 19:30 and 20:30 on the Saturday night. Do you have an event you'd like to share with us? You can now promote your What's On stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.

Elon Musk says he now 'regrets' some of his social media posts about Trump after major fallout
Elon Musk says he now 'regrets' some of his social media posts about Trump after major fallout

NBC News

time34 minutes ago

  • NBC News

Elon Musk says he now 'regrets' some of his social media posts about Trump after major fallout

A reunion of the world's richest man and the most powerful may not be imminent, but at least one of them has now expressed his regrets as their relationship lies in ruins. Elon Musk said on X in the early hours of Wednesday that he 'regrets' some of the barbs he posted as he and President Donald Trump traded insults on social media and said they 'went too far.' Musk didn't elaborate in his 3 a.m. ET message on which posts from last week he regretted and he didn't explain what caused his sudden change of heart. At the height of their online feud — sparked by landmark spending legislation Trump calls the 'big, beautiful bill' — Musk said president wouldn't have won the election without him and accused him of undermining the work of DOGE in cutting billions from federal budgets. Musk referred to the bill as a 'disgusting abomination' that would land the U.S. in unsustainable debt. Trump on Saturday made clear his disappointment with his former ally, suggesting the U.S. government could cut its lucrative ties with Musk's businesses and prompting the angry Tesla founder to highlight the president's one-time links with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Musk replied 'Yes' to an X user who suggested Trump should be impeached. In an interview Saturday Trump told NBC News that there would be unspecified 'serious consequences' for Musk were he to financially back any Democrat candidates in future elections who oppose the government's sweeping budget bill. The bill has already passed the House, but it could be rejected in the Senate with just four Republican defections needed to defeat it. Musk has previously been an influential advisor to the Trump administration and a major Republican donor, leading the Department of Government Efficiencies in cutting billions from federal budgets and fronting election campaigns. The pair showered each other with praise and the president invited Musk to attend cabinet meetings. Trump marked the official end of Musk's government role with a ceremony in the Oval Office during which he handed the Tesla founder a symbolic golden key. But as Trump's priorities shifted to passing his budget bill and Musk wound down his time at the White House to return to his businesses, the relationship soured. The stakes are high for Musk and his companies, some of which rely on government subsidies. Tesla lost $152 billion from its market capitalization in the wake of the spat, its biggest ever hit, but its stock price has since pared some of those losses.

LA imposes curfew as protests against immigration raids spread across US
LA imposes curfew as protests against immigration raids spread across US

The Guardian

time35 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

LA imposes curfew as protests against immigration raids spread across US

Protests against Donald Trump's immigration policies continued in Los Angeles for a fifth day even as local authorities ordered a curfew in parts of the city. The LA mayor, Karen Bass, issued the curfew as protests against the immigration raids spread across the US and the California governor, Gavin Newsom, delivered a rebuke of the Trump administration, accusing the government of 'pulling a military dragnet' across LA and warning 'other states are next'. The Democratic governor's remarks came after the US president ordered the deployment of nearly 5,000 troops, including national guard and marines, to the nation's second-largest city

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store