Oklahoma City is putting real money behind its film ambitions, signing off on a $1 million incentive package for a Texas-set thriller currently operating under the code name "Project Snake." City leaders say the production plans to shoot the bulk of the movie in Oklahoma City, hiring local crews and pouring cash into hotels, restaurants and equipment rentals as it stages scenes around town. Producers are aiming for a mid-to-late August start as they lock in casting and button up logistics.
According to KOCO, the council approved the $1 million as part of an agenda item labeled "Project Snake," with city materials estimating more than $13.5 million in local spending tied to the shoot. OKC Film and Creative Industries executive director Jill Simpson told the council the company intends to film roughly 75 percent of the project inside city limits and will aim to hire as many local crew members and support vendors as possible. Simpson also told KOCO that the production has recently signed a major lead and that any incentive payout will depend on documented local expenditures backed up by receipts.
Black Label's Pedigree
Per Black Label Media, the company behind the project was launched in 2013 by partners Molly Smith and twins Trent and Thad Luckinbill. Its credits include "Sicario" and "La La Land," a track record of award-level and commercially successful independent films that city staff pointed to when arguing for the incentive. Officials say that kind of résumé helps the production attract Oklahoma-based crew and vendors who know they are signing onto a serious project.
What It Could Mean for Oklahoma City
Simpson told KOCO that early analysis from the film office shows a sizable multiplier effect, with the office projecting nearly $330 million in economic impact tied to $2.8 million in rebate dollars across prequalified projects. Oklahoma City has been working hard to brand itself as a film-friendly destination, and a city press release noted that past shoots such as "Twisters" spent roughly $42.6 million locally and helped generate much larger ripple effects in hospitality and other services, per the City of Oklahoma City. City staff say the local incentive program requires productions to verify and document in-area spending before any rebates are paid, a setup officials argue protects taxpayers while still giving Oklahoma City a competitive edge for bigger shoots.
Next Steps
Council approval locks in the funding, but Project Snake still has to clear the usual hurdles, including permits, location agreements and street-use approvals, before cameras can roll. If the current timeline sticks, crew calls and job postings are expected to ramp up through July and into August, offering Oklahoma City's expanding film workforce a new surge of opportunities. City film staff said they will audit spending as the production moves forward and will report back as the project transitions into active shooting.
