Hollywood's MAGA Makeover: Trump Taps Legends to Bring Film Biz Back to California

Lights, camera, action—Trump style? Two Hollywood insiders have peeled back the velvet curtain to reveal just how daunting President Donald Trump's proposed rescue mission for Tinseltown really is. According to Dean Cain, known for donning the cape in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," the biggest export from the U.S. isn't tech or cars—it's culture. But thanks to tough regulations and policies, California has become a tough place to keep the cameras rolling.

Industry producer Michael Miller echoed that sentiment, lamenting the exodus of film jobs from the state. It's not exactly a Hollywood ending when thousands of jobs just vanish into the credits.

Before Trump even took the oath of office, he appointed a trio of silver screen icons—Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone—as his "special envoys" to give Hollywood a business makeover. Their mission: bring back film jobs that have fled overseas and make the industry "bigger, better, and stronger than ever before." I have to say, if they ever make a movie about these three trying to save Hollywood, the plot kind of writes itself.

Jon Voight, now leading the charge, is prepping a pitch for the Trump administration that could mean infrastructure incentives, job training, and a major overhaul of tax policies to lure productions back to California. Voight’s manager, Steven Paul, says the new plans are designed to stop the outflow of jobs and attract new business.

Cain didn't mince words about the challenge. He pointed out the red tape and regulations that have "everyone fleeing" California, while giving props to Voight, Gibson, and Stallone for standing up for conservatives in an industry known for its liberal leanings. Still, he admits, "it's a tall task." Tall enough to make even Superman break a sweat, apparently.

Producer Miller took aim at California’s "wild" overregulation and compared it to other states like Georgia and Connecticut, which offer tempting tax incentives for filming. He’s frustrated that California is still stuck in the planning stage while competitors are rolling out the red carpet for productions—especially for unscripted and alternative shows, which he says make up a huge chunk of Hollywood’s output.

A recent New York Times report found that from 2022 to 2024, around 18,000 film and TV jobs evaporated from Hollywood. Cain summed up the situation bluntly: "It’s a business. If the numbers don’t work, you go where they do." He revealed he’s only shot one film in California over the past five years—the self-made "Little Angels," hitting screens June 6th. The message? When dollars and regulations clash, the set gets packed up and shipped out.