Film crews are back at work across Hawai‘i, and the stakes are climbing at the state Capitol. Three major film and television projects are now shooting or gearing up on the islands, while lawmakers race to adjust tax rules so the work, and the money, stay put. Local crews, caterers and small vendors say long shoots mean months of steady pay, with spending rippling out to restaurants, hotels and transportation services. The rush reflects an industry rebound and a push to keep Hawai‘i in the same league as bigger incentive markets.
The current slate includes Netflix’s second season of UNTAMED, a new Jumanji installment from Sony, and the Jason Momoa-starring feature Protecting Jared, all slated to film on Oʻahu or around the state. According to DBEDT, the productions received a Hawaiian blessing and are already tapping local crews and vendors. Local reporting confirms on-the-ground shoots for Protecting Jared and scheduling for Jumanji on Oʻahu, signaling months of work for island suppliers and technicians, as reported by Maui Now.
Production Slate and Local Jobs
“The commitment of these productions is critically important for our Hawaiʻi crews, actors and industry vendors, who are returning to fruitful employment in their craft,” Governor Josh Green said in a state release. A recent report from DBEDT shows 2024 production spending in the state totaled about $168.8 million and generated roughly $67.5 million in household income. Officials point to those figures when arguing that a stable incentive program is essential for local wages and small businesses, from rental houses and caterers to transportation firms.
Lawmakers Offer Bigger Credits
Legislators have put several proposals on the table this session to sweeten the deal for incoming productions. HB2269 would raise the base credit to 27% for Oʻahu and 32% for the neighbor islands, bump the annual statewide cap to $60 million and push the program’s sunset out to 2038, according to the bill text. Another measure, HB1939, would layer on bonus credits for very high local hire rates, indigenous content, infrastructure investment and in-state post-production, and would allow DBEDT to waive the per-production cap in select cases as described in committee materials.
Legal Considerations
The state’s attorney general has warned lawmakers not to get too aggressive with local hire requirements. Incentives tied closely to local hire percentages “may be subject to challenge under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution,” according to testimony on HB1939. Legislators and DBEDT advisers say they are weighing that legal risk as they rework language intended to favor island workers without inviting a courtroom sequel.
Industry Perspective
Industry advocates and the Hawaiʻi Film Office are pushing for incentives that reward cultural authenticity and keep more work physically in the islands. Donne Dawson, the state’s longtime film commissioner, has urged lawmakers to include bonuses for indigenous or culturally centered content and to clarify how streaming projects qualify. Those tweaks, she argues, would help keep more production spending and storytelling rooted in Hawai‘i, as reported by The Garden Island.
Tourism Payoff
Supporters also lean on the tourism halo effect. HBO’s The White Lotus, shot at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, drove a sustained jump in web traffic and bookings for the property, a pattern documented by the New York Times. That kind of long tail marketing is part of the economic math lawmakers cite as they argue that generous film credits can pay off well beyond wrap day.
What happens next: the bills are still moving through committee and could change before final votes, with DBEDT and industry groups continuing to press for language that balances local hiring goals, cultural integrity and tight fiscal oversight. For the latest status on each measure, see public bill records on BillTrack50.
