Illinois is pushing hard to hold onto its title as the "Hollywood of the Midwest."

Why it matters: Gov. JB Pritzker and industry leaders are working to stay competitive in the race for big-budget productions.

The big picture: Pritzker signed new film incentives into law at the end of 2025, increasing tax credits for productions shot in the state from 30% to 35%.

• The package goes further, with additional incentives for hiring locally and a 5% bonus for environmentally friendly productions.
• State officials say Illinois now offers more aggressive incentives than any other state — even California.

By the numbers: It seems to be working. Production spending hit a record $703 million in 2025, up 25% from pre-pandemic levels.

• Industry wages rose from $350 million in 2019 to $401 million in 2025, while local hires increased from 15,200 to 18,100.

Friction point: Despite the banner year, Illinois is losing several major productions in 2026 that were key economic drivers last year.

• FX's "The Bear" wrapped its fifth and final season.
• Showtime's "The Chi" is slated to end after eight seasons.

State of play: The Illinois Production Alliance recently went with a delegation to Los Angeles to promote the state's incentives and production infrastructure, including Cinespace Studios in North Lawndale and the new Field Studios in Avondale.

• "The delegation experienced positive enthusiasm from studios and content creators who have Illinois on their radar screens," Illinois Production Alliance's Executive Director Christine Dudley tells Axios.

Zoom in: Illinois isn't alone in the incentives race.

• California recently expanded its own tax credits to retain productions and New Jersey has invested heavily in new soundstages as part of its push to strengthen its "Hollywood East" brand.

The bottom line: With several major productions ending, Illinois is ramping up incentives and outreach to keep film production rooted in the Midwest.

Go deeper

Chicago is home to a top-ranked graduate program for film composers — a notable foothold in an industry dominated by Los Angeles and New York.

Why it matters: "The Hollywood Reporter" named Columbia College Chicago's Music Composition for the Screen MFA program No. 1 in the world in 2025, an honor the school has received three times in more than a decade.

How it works: A key differentiator of Columbia's two-year program from other schools is its practice-focused approach.

• Students at Columbia score entire films, shows and video games, not just short scenes provided by studios, program head Kubilay Uner tells Axios.
• This allows students to better understand the film's characters, story and flow.

Plus, Columbia offers an undergraduate degree in film composing.

State of play: The alumni network at Columbia is strong, creating a pipeline for students to the industry. Some come back as composers in residence, like current composer Jesse Nelson, who's been the lead composer for "Star Wars" films.

What to listen to: Some recent films and TV shows Columbia film alumni have worked on include the 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' TV series, 'NCIS: Los Angeles,' 'LEGO Fortnite,' and 'How to Train Your Dragon.'

Keep reading

The Hand & The Eye — touted as the world's largest magic venue — opens on April 18.

Why it matters: Tickets are on sale for the 36,000-square-foot venue that transformed the old McCormick Mansion at 100 E. Ontario St.

Flashback: The building housed Lawry's Steakhouse for over 40 years until it closed in 2020.

State of play: Investor Glen Tullman is behind the $50 million venture, designed by David Rockwell.

Zoom in: The five-story venue includes more than 37 rooms that transform into performance spaces, with names like "The Grand Salon," "The Monarch," and "The Red Herring."

• Upscale dining is part of the draw, and the venue has partnered with Chicago hospitality stalwarts Levy.

The fine print: Guests at The Hand & The Eye must be 21 and up, as dining and drinks are expected to be an important part of the business.

• For men, collared shirts and jackets are required, but suits and tuxedos are encouraged, according to the website.
• Women should dress in evening wear, like cocktail dresses or suits.

If you go: Each experience runs three hours and includes dinner in addition to the magic performances, which unfold during a tour of the mansion.

• Tickets begin at $225.

More details

⚖️ Gov. JB Pritzker joined other Democrats in calling for the removal of President Trump after the president threatened that "a whole civilization will die" in a social media post about Iran. (Crain's)

🏠 A group of activists announced yesterday that they plan to sue the Chicago Housing Authority over last month's CEO vote. (Tribune)

🧠 Bears Hall of Famer Steve McMichael was diagnosed with CTE after his death. (Sun-Times)

⚾️ Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton has a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and will undergo season-ending surgery. (MLB)

This week's "History Mystery" features a long-lost photo of a produce market in Chicago's Loop.

Big (archival) picture: The 1904 archival photo shows several horse-drawn wagons lined up on South Water Street, which once featured open-air meat and produce markets.

Zoom in: At the time, South Water Street was dubbed "the busiest street in the world" because of the markets and horse-drawn carriage traffic.

The intrigue: While current Chicagoans know South Water Street to be east of Michigan Avenue, this photo was taken farther west, near the Wells Street "L" line.

• That's because in 1925, the city demolished the street to make way for a newer, more efficient way to bring goods into the Loop: Wacker Drive.

The famed Wacker Drive (both upper and lower) was built to modernize truck traffic and ease congestion along the Chicago River.

• It was also part of Daniel Burnham's 1909 plan, which called for better river access and a more orderly system for moving goods.

The bottom line: The crowded Water Street markets were wiped out in the name of progress, replaced by Wacker Drive and, eventually, the Riverwalk that now draws thousands each year.

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