Associated Press
- Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua pulled production of their film from Georgia.
- "Emancipation" is the first major production to leave the state due to the new voting law.
- The move to change filming locations is one of many by companies to combat state voting restrictions.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Production for Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua's film "Emancipation" will be moved out of Georgia due to the state's new voting restrictions.
The Republican-backed law, which came into play last month, is an attempt to overhaul the state's election protocol. It includes restrictions on absentee voting and does not allow for voters waiting in line to be provided with food or water. Critics say the new law is an act of voter suppression that will disproportionately impact people of color.
The film, which was sold to Apple Studios in a deal reportedly valued at $120 million, will be the first major production to leave Georgia because of the new law.
"Emancipation" is a period drama about slavery that stars Will Smith and will be directed by Oscar winning director Antoine Fuqua. The two issued a statement on their decision to change filming locations on Monday.
"At this moment in time, the Nation is coming to terms with its history and is attempting to eliminate vestiges of institutional racism to achieve true racial justice," Smith and Fuqua said in a joint statement. "We cannot in good conscience provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access. The new Georgia voting laws are reminiscent of voting impediments that were passed at the end of Reconstruction to prevent many Americans from voting. Regrettably, we feel compelled to move our film production work from Georgia to another state."
The film was supposed to begin shooting in June. It is one of many moves by corporations against Georgia's new voting laws. Last week, over 100 companies including Apple, ViacomCBS, and Twitter issued a joint statement condemning the state's voting restrictions.
"The right to vote is fundamental in a democracy. American history is the story of expanding the right to vote to all citizens, and Black people, in particular, have had to march, struggle and even give their lives for more than a century to defend that right," CEO Tim Cook told Axios on Thursday.
Georgia is a top state for film production, housing outposts for entertainment companies like The CW, Marvel, Netflix, and HBO Max. While ViacomCBS and Apple have already spoken out against the new law, other media companies in the state have been notably silent.
While several shows, including Netflix's "Cobra Kai," continue to shoot in Georgia, allowing "Emancipation" to shoot in Georgia could be perceived as particularly unseemly, as the film follows the real-life story of "Whipped Peter." Smith will play Peter, a historic figure who became known for photographs of the scars on his back. The story follows Smith's character as he emancipates himself from a Louisiana plantation and joins the Union Army.