Northeast Ohio builds film momentum after "Superman" success
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How do you follow the "Superman" movie? It starts with a touch of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek."
Why it matters: The Greater Cleveland Film Commission aims to build on one of its biggest years yet by attracting more jobs, money and high-profile projects to Northeast Ohio.
Driving the news: That mission began Saturday with a workshop led by North Olmsted native David Lester, a movie industry veteran who has worked on films like "Star Wars" and "Star Trek: The Movie."
- Nearly 250 people attended the production assistant workshop at Tri-C Metropolitan Campus, one of several training seminars the film commission will host this year.
What they're saying: "Training goes hand-in-hand with our focus on economic development and jobs," Bill Garvey, president of the commission, tells Axios.
- "This business is built around hundreds of people collaborating to create art."
By the numbers: Over the past two years, the commission has secured film projects with combined production budgets of $256.5 million for Northeast Ohio.
- The nonprofit also successfully lobbied the state to push its annual production incentive cap — tax credits and rebates for productions — from $40 million to $50 million.
The big picture: Things culminated with the release of "Superman" last year, which filmed throughout Northeast Ohio in 2024 and grossed more than $600 million at the worldwide box office.
- Coincidentally, "Superman" was distributed by Warner Bros., a studio whose controversial deal to be acquired by Netflix is at the center of a changing industry.
The intrigue: "The business itself is in a state of transition," says Garvey. "New technology is changing the way we do things."
- "Regardless of what happens, we will continue to be good partners with Warner Bros. and Netflix, both of whom have done repeat business in Northeast Ohio."
What's next: The Ohio Department of Development has awarded more than $17 million in tax credits for multiple productions in 2026.
- Three projects will film in Cuyahoga County, including Hulu's "The Land," a series about a fictional professional football team that stars William H. Macy.
The bottom line: "Ohio has positioned itself as a very low-cost, one-stop shop for productions," Garvey says.
- "Incentives make it easier for filmmakers to come here, and we're training a crew base that they can hire here."