Ohio is cutting fresh checks for Hollywood again, approving more than $3 million in motion picture tax credits for seven film and television projects that plan to shoot across the state. One of those projects, hiding under the working title "Exodus," is already stirring chatter thanks to its apparent ties to last year’s Superman shoot. The new slate mixes feature films, miniseries and a documentary and, if everything actually films here, could send new payroll and vendor spending into Cincinnati, Columbus and pockets of Northeast Ohio. Local film boosters say that even modest rounds of credits can be a noticeable boost for smaller suppliers and freelance crews.
According to WKYC, state records show "Exodus" tagged for roughly $1,991,730.90 in credits, with Cincinnati listed as the primary location. The same round includes smaller feature awards tied to Gahanna, Etna and Columbus, miniseries planned for Tallmadge and Cleveland, and a documentary in Bexley. WKYC reports that the seven awards together top $3 million and are expected to trigger additional in state spending and payroll if the productions lock in full financing and dates.
How the tax credit works
In a statement from the Ohio Department of Development, officials explain that the Motion Picture Tax Credit offers a refundable 30 percent credit on qualifying wages for cast and crew along with other eligible in state production spending. The program carries about $50 million in annual backing plus any rollover funding. Each year, $5 million is set aside for Broadway and theatrical productions, and the state gives priority to series and miniseries when it parcels out credits. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and are scored for economic impact and workforce development potential, so splashy titles alone do not seal the deal.
Is "Exodus" the Superman sequel?
WKYC notes that the "Exodus" paperwork lists some of the same production contact information and follows the working title pattern used on last year’s Superman production, a combo that has local outlets flagging a possible connection to James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow. State records currently show the application status as "submitted," and an application or tentative award is not a firm promise that principal photography will land in Ohio. Until credits are formally approved and production notices go out, any local shooting plans sit in the maybe column.
Local impact and supply chain lift
Film commission leaders and crew coordinators say that even a single mid sized feature can fill up hotel blocks, put dozens of local day players and PAs on set and send money flying toward catering, transportation and equipment rentals. That is why clustered rounds of credits can matter so much. The Greater Cleveland film community has long pushed for higher annual incentive caps to turn sporadic shoots into a more reliable stream of local jobs, and previous tax credit awards have already steered millions in production spending into Ohio towns. For smaller cities and suburbs, a production rolling in with a few weeks of shooting can feel like an overnight economic bump.
What comes next
Because the state accepts and reviews Motion Picture Tax Credit applications year round and releases awards in periodic clusters, the titles on this list still have to clear approval checkpoints before cameras start rolling, according to the Ohio Department of Development. Reporters and local film offices will be watching for formal award letters, permit filings and production notices to see where and when any shoots actually land. For now, the paperwork serves as a reminder that Ohio is still in the mix for both big studio and independent projects when incentives, locations and homegrown crews all line up.
